


Silver And Gold

by Mililap



Category: League of Legends
Genre: F/F, If you're new to this story enjoy! if not, Its a mashup between old and new lores for all characters!, Ok so this is in FF but I decided it'd be clever for me to have it in here too!, Same author dw this is not robbery lmfao, anyway have fun!, before u ask me about that lmfao, welcome back lmfao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-09-19 15:47:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 238,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17004531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mililap/pseuds/Mililap
Summary: It was all destiny's doing that those two would meet under broad daylight and fall apart under the night's dark sky. But as cruel as it is, destiny's also fair, giving them back as much as it took from them. The Sun's protégée and the Moon's champion from their very beginning, until the very end.





	1. Chapter 1

Destiny was a curious thing. A cruel thing, too. How could it not be, how could one consider it gentle?

After all, it was all destiny's doing.

It was all destiny's doing that those two would meet under broad daylight and fall apart under the dark, night's sky.

But the threat of war between the Sun and the Moon was still far away.

Far enough, at least, that a young Diana didn't even know what awaited her, as she stared at the starred sky, her eyes glued to the Moon, laying on a blanket she had brought all the way from her bedroom to her house's rooftop.

She didn't even feel guardian approaching her until the old man spoke, bringing her out of her daze. "Up here again, child?" He said, looking at the sky, then at the little girl.

Diana turned around, her azure eyes wide in surprise. "I couldn't sleep, Father, I swear this time is true!" She said to the man she'd grown used to calling  _father,_ though he couldn't look more different to the child: where she had hair as black as ebony and eyes as blue as the clear morning sky, he had golden locks and the blue of the deepest of oceans.

Still, he'd got used to the nickname, too. "Diana, dear, it's too late. Go back to sleep."

"I tried, Father, but  _look,_ " She said, her eyes darting back to the big moon in the sky. "It's beautiful." There was a tone of awe to her voice.

Marcus let his aged eyes go to the moon. "It's a full moon," he stated, matter-of-factly, then added, "You know what a full moon means, Diana." Though he tried to hide it, his voice carried some sadness.

The girl sighed, not really noticing it. "I know. Creatures crawl."

"Why don't we go inside, where we're safe?" He ushered the child downstairs and into the tiny house, saddened that he had to break her little moment. After a moment of hesitation, he approached the little girl's ear. "Though I must admit, the Moon  _does_ look gorgeous tonight."

Diana looked at him with wide, curious eyes. "You really think so?"

"Not as gorgeous as you, though, my little Diana." He ruffled up her hair, making her giggle a bit. The smile she gave him he could only consider priceless and contagious, as it made him smile even wider. Diana hugged Marcus with all of her strength, letting the old man guide her back into her room. "Try to sleep now, okay?"

"Okay, goodnight, Father." She said, getting comfortable in her bed.

"Goodnight my child." He closed the door to her tiny bedroom, but not before making sure her window was left ajar, so that she could still spy the moon with all of her stars.

Marcus went back to his room, his mind occupied with thoughts of the little girl. Twelve years. It had been twelve years since the night he had come across Diana, a baby by then, still in her parents' arms, both of them already prisoners of the afterlife, their souls claimed by the Kindred.

But not hers, not baby Diana's.

Somehow, she had managed to survive that frozen storm, outliving her only family. Marcus couldn't leave her there, so he had taken her home with him.

Diana had always known the truth. She's always known she was an orphan and that Marcus wasn't really his father, but more like a mentor; the old man had refused to keep her ignorant of this.

Still, the things she was too young to know, like how her parents had actually died, he decided he could somewhat sugarcoat, like he did when he told her that her biological parents had  _gone to the skies, turning into the brightest stars the night could ever offer._ She accepted that information immediately, without question.

He chuckled at that; Diana's fascination with the night. That was another thing the little girl had to her, so uncanny and unique of her. Kids her age usually loved the day, being out in the Sun, daylight, the bright skies, but not her.

Not his Diana, for her eye had been caught by the other mistress who shines above her head.

Ever since he found her, the girl showed a certain inclination for the nighttime. As a baby, she'd sleep during the day and be wide awake during the night, making him believe for a while that she might be an actual creature of darkness.

When she grew a bit, she was always playing under the moonlight, shying away from the Sun, not out of a disliking for the celestial body, but simply out of a personal preference.

"It's too bright, I'd rather play later when the Sun's lower in the sky!" She had told him once, when he asked her why she was done with playing so early in the evening.

And ever since then, he never asked her to come out into the sunlight again, letting her do so whenever she felt like it.

Not that she didn´t feel like it ever. Heaven's above, Marcus knew how much Diana adored the warmth of a summer breeze, the bronze her skin would turn after a long time of exposure to the Sun, even the animals that roamed the forests so freely under the protection of daylight…

…But the Moon had a special hold on her, fascinated her in a way the Sun simply failed, falling short for just a bit.

So the child with hair as black as night and eyes as bright as day loved the Sun but was haunted by the Moon.

Marcus sighed, trying not to think about it, about what it meant to live in Runeterra, in Mount Targon, being someone who was just like the Moon.

_The Solari can never find out. They'd execute her if they did._

He didn't have the nerve to tell such a young lass not to follow her heart. He just couldn't do it. After years and years with her by his side, he had never been able to try and put a halt to her loving of the Moon, his attempts with stories of monsters and nightly creatures failing miserably, as he had verified before.

But then something sudden came to mind. The old man had an idea. A risky, dangerous idea, if Diana were not to adapt to survive.

She would learn how to love the Sun in the way she loved the Moon. But in order for the night loving girl to do that, she'd have to learn from the best. He'd prepare her, he'd guide her through the first steps, the most difficult ones.

So Marcus began writing a letter directed to the Solari, hoping they'd accept his child into their temples.

 


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on, Helena! Surely you can run faster!" The girl shouted over her shoulder, making her friend, the only one completely out of breath between the two, snap at her.

"Diana, I swear…" She huffed and puffed, trying to finish her sentence. "As soon as I catch you," she tried again, but her attempts were futile. "I'm kicking your ass." She finally finished, already giving up on her chase of her agile friend.

Diana halted, laughing at Helena. "For such a proud woman, you sure do give up easily." She said, giving the brunette the scroll she had taken from her.

"The Sun damn the day you appeared around here." Helena said, snatching the scroll from Diana's hands and narrowing her hazel eyes, though there was no malice in her voice, but a teasing tone instead, remarked by the lopsided smirk she could barely hide.

It had been years since that night when Marcus changed her life's course, writing the letter that would turn her into a Solari. Her guardian had told her about it the day after, insisting on how good it would be for her to grow up with children of her age instead of almost all alone by the woods.

But first, she would have to learn the basics of their religion, for the Solari were, according to her Father,  _too proud_  of their culture and would  _never_ accept anything unlike it, so she became a student to Marcus's lessons.

She hadn't wanted to leave him, but she already knew he was not  _offering_ her the chance to become a Solari; he was merely  _informing_ her that she'd eventually become one.

So she allowed him to teach her the way of the Sun, the proper way to pray in her name and adore her, the girl becoming cultured enough in the history of the Solari that she was swiftly accepted to become a scholar.

But what she never allowed Marcus to do was to take the Moon away from her. She never let herself believe the awful stories Marcus told her about the Moon, about how the Sun and her hated each other, how they chased after each other through the sky, eclipses being nothing but a long awaited confrontation between the two, when their game of hunt or be hunted finally ended for a period of time.

Diana had tried to reason with him, confessing to the old man her thoughts about the Moon and how she wasn't a cruel mistress but simply a calmer one, one that didn't impose and demand as much as the Sun, allowing for secrets to be forged and affairs to happen under her supervision, but Marcus would have none of that, scolding Diana and even going as far as punishing her for believing such things.

So the girl did what he had wanted her to do so long ago. She had adapted to survive, just not in the way he had intended her to, keeping mostly to herself, letting the night be her little secret, one she wouldn't share with anybody but the Moon, for the one time she had actually tried to bring the subject up, she was punished for a month, accidentally turning herself into an outcast, too, because, since then, almost everyone stayed away from her, calling her moon-addled.

 _But not Helena,_ she thought as she glanced at the girl. She did know though that, despite her secrecy and will to maintain such truths hidden away, her best friend was well aware of her inclinations.

But perhaps that's what had drawn Diana to Helena in the first place. That was something she'd always thought; the lack of judgement, the no-questions-asked attitude, the purposeful ignorance the brunette veiled her eyes with, so as not to have to leave her Diana's side...

...it was a kind of blind trust that the ebony haired woman knew was precious and almost extinct, so she didn't push it, didn't try and overstep the boundaries she had so carefully set, the line drawn in the sand.

She didn't try to talk to her friend about certain subjects, for she knew that would be forcing the other to walk away from her and, if there was something Diana hated more than the unjustified hatred for the Moon, it was the loneliness. Diana couldn't stand feeling lonely.

So much she hated being alone that she had stolen Helena's current study material, a scroll about the Ra-Horak and their traditions, only to force her out of the library and into the gardens, under the heated supervision of the Sun herself.

"You'd die of sadness if I weren't here, Helena," she smiled knowingly, crossing her arms. "Don't even try to deny it." She laughed as Helena punched her on the arm. "What was that for?!"

"That's for robbing me. Theft is a crime and must be punished." She smirked and looked away from Diana, faking indifference. "And I guess I'd be kind of bored without you here to-"

"To cheer up such a hard-working scholar!" Diana cut her off, hugging her in a comical way. Helena pushed her away, making the raven-haired girl laugh as she looked at the girl with an exaggerated look of disgust on her face.

"I was going to say bother me and, in fact, I think mine is a more accurate term than yours." She answered, trying and failing to hide her smile, the only indication that she was joking, for her tone remained deadly serious.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, bookworm." Diana retorted as she began to walk around the gardens aimlessly, Helena falling into step next to her and scoffing at her words.

"You're one to talk!" Helena said, punching Diana's arm again. "You're even worse than I am, Di! Spending full days reading dusty stuff."

Diana inspected her nails nonchalantly. "I've got no idea what you're talking about."

"Only the Sun knows how many books and scrolls you've got stashed under your bed, you hoarding gremlin." Helena laughed as it was Diana's turn to punch her in back, a false look of hurt on her face. "That hurt! Keep your punches in check!"

"It's just that I felt so offended that I decided you deserved a bigger punishment. How dare you call me a gremlin?" Diana tried not to laugh at the look of bored annoyance her friend regarded her with. Both of them smiled, then, dropping the subject and walking in silence for a bit, letting their footsteps be the only sound filling the air.

Well, letting Helena's footsteps fill the air. Something all Solari warriors admired of Diana—or envied in silence, depending on how much they disliked her— was her incredible stealth. Not a sound did one hear when she moved, the girl being as silent as a calm sea at night, the irony of the comparison not lost to those who noticed her skills.

Helena was walking with her eyes on her feet when she suddenly looked up, raising her brows, having remembered something unexpectedly. "Did you hear the news, Di?" She turned her head to look at her friend, who stared back with an eyebrow raised in clear ignorance.

"What news?"

"Come on, you cannot tell me you haven't heard!" Helena looked at her with shock and Diana just shook her head no. "Really? Not even a word?"

Diana was becoming impatient. "No, I haven't, so I'd really appreciate it if you just went on with it and told me."

Helena raised a hand defensively. "Fine, fine! Don't get so nervous." Diana rolled her eyes at the short-haired brunette, making Helena mirror her reaction, before speaking again, "Rumor has it the Sun has chosen her Avatar!"

Diana's eyes grew in size, surprise evident on her face. "What? You're kidding me." She couldn't quite believe her friend, but Helena was nodding vigorously.

"I'm telling you, Di," She said, a big smile forming on her face. "We have a Chosen of the Sun!"

"But who is it? How do we know? Explain yourself, woman!" Diana pressed, playfully pretending to be more excited about the news than she actually was. Not that she didn't care about it. Gods above, she did but she wasn't sure of how much she believed those  _rumors_ …

…And, in all honesty, she didn't know what it meant to finally have a Chosen of the Sun.  _What does it change?_ , was all she could think about it.

"Well, I was studying  _this_ ," Helena began, waving the scroll a bit to emphasize her words. "To understand a bit better. You see, the Chosen One seems to be a Ra-Horak warrior who was spared from her Rite of Kor by the Sun itself!" Helena beamed, unable to control her excitement.

 _Her?_  "And here I was, thinking that you were studying the Ra-Horak because of me." Diana said, feigning sadness. Helena pushed her playfully, making her smile again.

"You know that I was studying them because of you, but the Chosen One happened to be a Ra-Horak, too!" Helena pondered on that statement for a moment. "What a coincidence."

"Yeah, right?" Diana said, somewhat distracted by her own thoughts, which had wandered to the Ra-Horak, much to her displeasure. After all, it was just yesterday that the elders had told her the news; she was to be sent to the Ra-Horak camps to become one of them, for her abilities in combat were marvelous and should be exploited, instead of wasted by turning her into a full Solari, a  _mere scholar._

She knew the truth, though. She knew that, no matter how hard she tried to keep a low profile with her astronomy studies, the elders were aware of it, of her investigations regarding the celestial bodies, and just wanted to keep her away from any study material, using her skills and abilities as the perfect excuse to send her away. If not, why would they send her, one of the smartest scholars in the temple, instead of someone who was lacking in that aspect? Sure, she was good at fighting. By the light, she was  _incredible_  and she knew it, but there were many other Solari who were just as good –or, at least, almost as good–as her and who weren't as handy with scrolls and books. The smartest thing to do would be to send them away, not her.

But that would be keeping a loose leash on the moon-addled Solari, wouldn't it?

Helena noticed the sudden, somber look on her friend's face and, guessing it was due to her imminent departure, she went on with her findings. "So yeah, the Chosen One is a Ra-Horak warrior, but the curious thing about her is not that she's one of them, but how she was chosen, Di. You see," Helena began explaining, moving her hands rapidly in front of her, to emphasize her words. Diana smiled at her, finding her friend adorable whenever she explained something. "The Ra-Horak have this thing, the Rite of Kor, which is basically a battle to the death between two warriors for the right to bear a relic weapon."

Despite already knowing all this stuff, Diana let her friend explain, knowing full well she hated being interrupted. Still, she tried to guess the rest of the story. "So the Chosen One defeated her enemy in the blink of an eye."

"Actually, no, that's the funny thing." Helena said, the surprising plot twist making Diana look at her with curiosity. "The Chosen One was supposed to have her Rite of Kor but she refused to fight."

That didn't make sense. "A Ra-Horak  _refusing_  to kill?" Diana huffed. "What's next, a Freljordan hating snow?"

"I'm telling you, Di, the Chosen One refused to fight."

"I must admit it's surprising, but what does that have to do with her being the Chosen One? I mean, the Sun surely didn't choose her only because of that, right?"

Helena shook her head. "Since she refused to fight, the leader of the Ra-Horak ordered her execution, but when she was about to be killed, a ray of sunlight bathed the Ra-Horak camp, protecting her from the fatal blow." Helena looked at her friend with awe in her eyes. "The Sun herself protected her."

Diana was staring right back at her friend with the same shock written all over her face. "No way that can be true."

"Well, it would seem it is, since I've heard she arrives here tomorrow." Upon seeing Diana's look of confusion, Helena explained, "Elder Eos left for the Ra-Horak camp as soon as he heard about the Chosen One. They are expected to arrive at the temple tomorrow at dawn."

"Well," Diana began, unable to believe her friend. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Have a little faith in her, Diana."

"It's not that I don't believe you, Helena," She tried not to wrinkle her nose, but subtlety was never her forte. "It's just that it all sounds so… so  _crazy_."

"I know, but I think it's the truth."

Diana shrugged, slowly directing their walk towards the temple once more, away from the gardens. She let her eyes roam the skies, finally settling on the Sun.

Helena glanced at her friend. That was another thing so Diana that nobody could really explain: the  _moon-addled_  Solari was the only one capable of looking directly into the Sun without it burning her eyes. Irony seemed to be Diana's constant theme.

Helena's train of thought was broken by Diana's voice as her ebony haired friend said, "Do we know the Chosen One's name?"

"Yeah, I've heard it around."

"And what is it?"

They were almost back at the library when Helena said, "Her name is Leona."


	3. Chapter 3

Dawn had arrived at the temple, waking every Solari who inhabited it, but that wasn't just another, normal morning. The Solari didn't begin their daily tasks just because their Goddess was rising, initiating another day. In fact, they weren't even doing their tasks.

That morning was different to any other the scholars had ever had, for they were all reunited in the temple's ceremony room, waiting for Elder Eos to arrive with the Chosen One, everyone's attendance required.

And everyone meant  _everyone_ , even those who were skeptical about the whole Chosen One thing.

Even Diana, who couldn't keep her eyes open, her eyelids closing on their own accord, the girl a prisoner to her drowsiness.

The Solari were organized in the room so that they were divided in two groups; one to the left of the main door and one to its' right. All the scholars were standing side by side, forming an aisle between the two crowds, which led to the center of the ceremony room, where the rest of the Elders sat at a table, the two seats situated in its' middle being the only empty. At the back of each wing were standing the acolytes with the most harmonic voices, for they were the ones who would sing their praises to the Sun when the Chosen One entered the room.

Diana stood by the right wing, somewhat close to the front of the crowd, her head low as she dozed off, unaffected by the hushed voices that resounded all around her.

Helena's eyes scanned the room in pursuit of her friend, hoping to stand next to her during the welcoming ceremony. She did a double take once she saw the ebony haired woman, her head bobbing slowly. The short haired brunette made her way towards Diana and smacked her on the nape, jolting the girl awake.

"Hey!" Diana said as she rubbed with her hand where she had been hit, her deep voice a bit husky from sleep. "What was that for?"

"You've been up all night again, haven't you?" The accusatory tone Helena used was indication enough for Diana that her friend was slightly disappointed at her.

"No." She retorted either way, knowing full well she couldn't lie for the life of her and that it was obvious, both from the bags under her eyes and the fact that Helena had just woke her up that the woman was going to see through her big, fat lie.

Helena sighed. "I told you  _not_  to stay up, Diana!"

"As if you never stayed up until late, you hypocrite!"

"You know that's not the problem," Helena said back, looking at her friend with knowing eyes. "You knew that today was the welcoming ceremony and we were all required to attend, I told you to try and sleep, Di, so you wouldn't look like some creature out of a Harrowing tale."

"I know, I know," Diana said, trying to dissipate the grogginess by rubbing her eyes with her thumb and index finger. "It's just that I couldn't sleep." That much was true. She had always had trouble sleeping at night, somnolence avoiding her when the Moon was high in the sky and finding her only when the twilight was near, so she usually used all of that time to study, whether it was her lesson's material or the old, dusty, forbidden astronomy scrolls she had found hidden away in a restricted section of the library.

That night she had stayed up reading about both the Ra-Horak and the last Chosen One, a man who had fought against the  _evil of the Moon_ , vanishing the Sun's enemies forever. Diana had wanted to deepen her knowledge about the Sun's Avatars in order to prepare for whoever she was going to meet during the welcoming ceremony, but those books and scrolls ended up boring her, the tales about the Moon's cruelty being too distasteful for her, so she had halted her investigations to read something more aligned with her interests: constellations and their history. She had cursed like a sailor once she peeked at the sky and noticed that the night was fading away and dawn was only hours away, stashing all of her books underneath her bed and trying to sleep, but failing miserably.

So now she was forced to battle her own tiredness in order not to fall asleep in the Chosen One's face.

Helena sighed once more. "You'll have to at least pretend to be awake for a while, then, Di. If not, Elder Eos will have your head." She warned her friend, not out of annoyance at her peculiarities, but out of concern for her wellbeing.

"I'll do my best." Diana said, her eyes already droopy.

"Your best sucks." Helena muttered under her breath but Diana didn't care. Better said, she didn't really catch it, dozing off again, her eyes snapping open again only because Helena elbowed her in the ribs.

"Ow!"

One of the Elders sat up from his chair. "Silence in the ceremony room!" He bellowed, making everyone in the chamber immediately fall silent. Diana had to keep herself from sighing happily.  _Silence at last…_

"Di, it's about to begin!" Helena whispered on her ear, beaming with excitement.

 _Oh, right, silence meant_  that.

After scanning the room once, making sure everyone was silent, the Elder spoke again, "As you all know, a few days ago, the Sun has chosen her Avatar, a Ra-Horak warrior who refused to kill in the Rite of Kor. The Sun, protector of life, chose someone who was willing to face death before ending an innocent life. The Ra-Horak informed us of this event as soon as it happened and Elder Eos traveled to meet the Chosen One." He paused for a moment, letting his words enter the minds of the scholars.

"Today, the Avatar of the Sun is finally home. As followers of the Sun, we must bow before the Radiant Dawn's presence as we welcome the Sun's glory in. Let us rejoice in her name; Leona!" He said as the choir began to sing, the doors opening to let Elder Eos and the Chosen One in.

Everyone bowed their heads, their eyes closed as they were ordered to, for it was part of the welcoming ceremony not to look at the Chosen One as they walked in, considering the Avatar as bright as the Sun herself, a sight too pure for their eyes, which would only burn at the sight.

Of course, the  _burning_  part was only metaphoric, but still, no one dared question de Elders, so every scholar had their eyes closed, happily obliging.

Specially Diana, who had dozed off yet again.

But then voices began to sound all around her, hushed whispers asking different questions…

 _Her? Not him?_ , a female voice asked.

 _Wasn't the Avatar of the Sun always a man?_ , a whiny, weak male voice questioned

 _How weird, every Avatar before her was male, not female_ , yet another girl inquired.

 _How dare you question the Sun!_ , a deep male voice angry whispered and that was all Diana needed to be awoken yet again.

She was way too clever, though. Uncertain of her surroundings, since sleeping always made her lose sense of where she was, she kept her eyes closed and head cast to the ground until she was sure of what on Runeterra was going on around her.

But then she started feeling that burning sensation, as if someone were looking at her, the gaze of someone's eyes burning holes into her face. Still feeling a bit disoriented, Diana couldn't stop herself as she groggily opened her eyes, raising her head a bit, trying to locate whoever was staring at her. Her eyes immediately swayed to her left, towards the main entrance to the chamber…

…And her cold, azure eyes met warm, golden ones.

She couldn't help herself as she stared at their owner; a girl with auburn, long hair who eyed her curiously, a tiny smile shyly forming on her lips.

But then her eyes wandered a bit to the girl's left and Diana made eye contact with Elder Eos, who was glaring at her.

Diana violently bowed her head again, shutting her eyes closed.  _Shit_.

Helena sensed her movement. "You're fucked." She whispered to her friend.

"I know." Was all Diana could say back.

After a few more seconds, the singing subdued, meaning the Chosen One and Elder Eos had finally arrived at the table of the Elders.

"You may all now open your eyes and gaze at the Chosen One in all of her glory." The Elder who had spoken before, Elder Akins, said, so everyone in the room opened their eyes and stared at the auburn haired girl, who was sitting at the middle of the Elders' table, shifting on her seat. Diana couldn't help but feel empathy for the woman and her uneasiness.  _The Sun knows I'd be a thousand times more uncomfortable than her_. Diana's mind went on analyzing the girl's discomfort as she looked at the Avatar, her mind too occupied to let the girl listen to whatever the Elders were saying.

_I mean, to be in front of so many people, who stare at me like I'm, I don't know, like I'm… Ugh._

It wasn't until Leona stared right back at her and tried to hide a smile that she noticed her face was contorted in a grimace, her thoughts evident on her expression.

 _Oh fuck_ , Diana broke eye contact, looking at her feet, trying to hide the blush on her face. A thought crept up on her mind, making her huff a tiny laugh.

_Well, at least I entertained her._

Helena elbowed her again and Diana had to resist the urge to look up and see if the Avatar had seen that. "Di!" Her friend muttered under her breath, making the sleepy Solari nod furiously at her.

"Okay!" She whispered back, trying to focus on the Elder's voice.

He was almost done with the welcoming ceremony, but Diana was able to catch his last words. "…So the Chosen One must prepare for the crowning ritual to be held in a week. Her Solari training will be taught only by the best of our acolytes and, after a long discussion between all of us, the Elders, we have decided that honor is to be bestowed upon the High Acolyte Hanif." Elder Akins glanced at a young man with dark skin and brown, short hair. "Hanif, you may approach us."

The boy's face was beaming with happiness. He made his way towards the table of the Elders, standing in front of Leona. After bowing deeply, he kneeled. "It will be my honor to guide you through the steps towards your enlightenment, Chosen One." At his words, Diana stole a glance in Leona's direction and had to make a big effort not to snort at the girl's expression: Leona was doing her best not to grimace at the boy but her discomfort was written all over her face and the Ra-Horak warrior was well aware of it.

Leona was about to open her mouth when Elder Eos cut her off, speaking first. "Thank you, Hanif. We trust that you will be the best teacher we could have chosen." Diana snorted at his words, making Helena look at her.

"What's so funny, you donkey?" She angrily whispered at her friend.

Diana tried not to laugh as she whispered back, "Hanif is the Chosen One's Chosen. Too many Chosens."

Helena rolled her eyes. "By the light, Diana, your stupidity levels never cease to amaze me."

"Hush, you love me."

"And why I do that I still don't know."

" _Shhh_!", another scholar who was standing a row closer to the front silenced them. Diana made a face, earning a glare from the girl and an elbow to the ribs from Helena. The ebony haired Solari glanced at her friend, who was already looking ahead at the Elders' table.

Diana followed her gaze then, pointedly ignoring the golden eyes that she could feel on her.

She listened to Elder Akins as he said, "With all said and done, we declare the welcoming ceremony over. You're all dismissed and may return to your duties." Upon hearing his words, everyone slowly began moving, leaving the chamber. Some of the scholars did so hurriedly, while others lingered for a while, trying to get a longer glance at the Chosen One.

Diana was already facing the door, ready to try and do a runner before anybody approached her when she heard Elder Eos' voice. "Where do you think you're going, High Acolyte Diana?"

She clenched her teeth before turning and speaking. "Elder Eos, I was just going to return to-"

"High Acolyte Helena, you're dismissed. Leave us be." Elder Eos cut her off, basically kicking Helena out.

The brunette knew he wanted Diana to be alone against him, so that she was unprotected. "But Elder Eos, Diana has to-"

"She'll join you in whatever task you two have once she's done speaking with me, now leave." He said, her eyes hot on Helena's. The brunette glanced at Diana briefly before leaving, the pain on her eyes the only sign that she wanted to stay and help her friend, but Diana refused to have her punished because of her own mistakes, so, as her friend walked away, the Solari bowed her head, letting Elder Eos do with her as he pleased. The man got uncomfortably close, trying to intimidate her. "What in the Void do you think you were doing?"

"Elder Eos, I-"

She was cut off by a slap on her face.

Some of the acolytes who still occupied the room turned to look at the scene.

"Not only do you fall asleep during the welcoming ceremony, you also have the nerve to break our sacred traditions and look at the Chosen One when you're not supposed to." He growled at her, but Diana remained calm, already used to situations like these. "Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"Elder Eos-"

Another slap to her face. "Silence, you insolent! You shall be punished for your disrespect towards the Sun."

"I Just-"

Diana saw him raise his hand and closed both, her eyes and her mouth, readying for the impact.

But the impact never came, so she slowly opened her eyes, letting her gaze move towards the man.

Diana was certain that this was the first time in all of her years as a Solari that she saw Elder Eos sport a shocked look on his face and she had to be honest: she was surprised, too, for what she saw, she didn't expect.

She didn't expect to see the Chosen One herself in front of her, her hand holding Elder Eos' wrist, preventing the third slap from ever happening.

The Elder finally found his voice again, after fighting the initial shock. "Radiant Dawn…"

"I believe this acolyte has had enough for today, Elder Eos." The Chosen One spoke, letting her rich, smooth voice be heard for the first time in the day.

"But, but she, she disrespected you-"

"I'm sure she didn't mean to," Leona said, letting her eyes go from the man to the dumbstruck woman. "Right?"

Diana quickly came out of her daze, shaking her head vigorously, her eyes bigger than they've ever been. "No, Radiant Dawn, I never meant to!" Her words were ushered out of her mouth, barely comprehensible.

Leona smiled at her. "See, Elder Eos? She meant no harm." She looked at the man, slowly releasing his wrist.

Elder Eos frowned. "Still, she must be punished for her insolence, Chosen One." He thought for a second, then added, "But you shouldn't be burdened with such frivolities. Instead, you should let Hanif show you around the temple." He motioned for the boy to approach them. "Hanif, come here!"

Leona narrowed her eyes in deep thought, letting her gaze wander back to Diana. "I don't think so."

Elder Eos looked at her, then, confusion evident on his face. "What?"

Leona smiled at him. "I said that I don't think Hanif should show me around." She said just as the man in question reached them. Leona turned to look at him. "Sorry, Hanif, but I think that the  _boring_  task of showing me around should not be bestowed upon such a hard working man." Leona's stare moved back to Diana. "I think it should be the  _insolent scholar_  the one to show me around."

"What?" Diana reacted immediately.

"What?" Hanif echoed.

"What?" Elder Eos finished.

"You all heard me." Leona stated, matter-of-factly. "Being a tour guide must be boring, more a punishment than an honor, so I want her to show me around. Surely, that will be enough to punish her for the  _atrocities_  she's committed today." Leona squared her shoulders and put on a serious mask, looking every bit like the Ra-Horak warrior she was. "That is your Sun's will and it shall be fulfilled."

Diana tried her best not to let her jaw drop as she watched how Elder Eos sighed, bowing his head in defeat, dismissing Hanif…

…And glaring at her, saying, "Your will is our command, Chosen One."

Leona nodded. "You may leave, then, Elder Eos, thank you for everything." Upon hearing her words, the man left, his blood boiling in his veins. Leona looked at Diana then. "Are you alright?" She said, dropping her warrior act.

Diana nodded, slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine." When she realized she was speaking to the Chosen One herself, Diana stuttered and tried again, bowing her head slightly. "Apologies, Chosen One, you did not have to-"

"Please," Leona said, gently cutting Diana off. "It's okay." The auburn haired girl let her eyes scan the room: there were still too many eyes on her, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable. "Why don't you begin showing me around?"

Diana nodded vigorously, nervousness taking over her. "As you wish, Radiant Dawn. This way, please." She said, walking towards the door, feeling Leona fall into step right next to her.

As they walked away from everyone's prying eyes, Diana's embarrassment subdued slightly, just like Leona's uneasiness. They reached an empty hall, finally away from the hushed voices asking  _what in the Sun's name was that one doing with the Chosen One_ , when Leona broke their silence. "I thought that was never going to end."

Diana eyed her curiously. "The welcoming ceremony?" Leona nodded.

"Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the praises and stuff but," Leona whistled. "This is all way too much." Diana cast her eyes away, frowning a bit.

She considered it was time to properly acknowledge what the Ra-Horak girl had done before. "Thank you for intervening, but it was not necessary, Radiant Dawn."

"It actually was necessary," Leona said, her voice as soft as ever, "And  _please_ ," The way she emphasized the word made Diana look at her with intrigue. "Stop calling me that. It's barely been three days since my Rite of Kor and I've heard everyone say  _Radiant Dawn this_  and  _Chosen One that_ …" She sighed, but smiled at Diana nonetheless.

"But I'd get in trouble if I disrespected you."

"You could see it like that or you could say that, by calling me those names instead of my own, like I  _demanded_ , you've disobeyed me. Therefore, you would be disrespecting me in an even worse way." Leona said, then frowned, adding, "Did that make any sense?"

Diana laughed a bit. "I think it did. What should I call you, then?" She asked, not quite remembering her name.

"Just call me Leona." She smiled, warm as the Sun herself.

"Okay, Leona." Diana said. Navigating through the temple's halls with ease.

"And what should I call you? What's your name?" Leona asked her.

They reached the gardens when the Solari answered, "My name is Diana."

Leona nodded. "Diana," She said, as if testing the name on her tongue. "Sounds better than Hanif." She joked, making the raven haired girl laugh a second time.

"You flatter me."

"Come on,  _High Acolyte Diana_ ," Leona said, smiling at the girl. "Give me the complete tour to this temple."

Diana bowed exaggeratedly, somehow feeling at ease with Leona. "It will be my honor,  _Chosen One Leona_." She smiled at the golden eyed girl's laugh, forgetting for a while about the Elders and the girl's holy title, feeling the Ra-Horak warrior like an old friend.


	4. Chapter 4

"I think this is the third time we've passed that fountain." She hadn't meant to say it out loud, but Leona's thoughts tended to escape her mouth sometimes, especially when there was something that amused her and, truth be told, what had drawn her to Diana in the first place was basically that: the girl amused her.

Diana came out of her daydreaming, suddenly aware of the truth in Leona's words. "What?" She halted, turning to look at Leona with a somewhat dumbfounded look. "Really?" Leona nodded, trying to hide her smile, almost succeeding, but then Diana smacked her forehead with her hand and the Ra-Horak lost her composure, laughing a bit. "My stupidity levels never cease to amaze me." Diana muttered, echoing what Helena had said before.

"It's not that bad, really." Leona commented, trying to lighten Diana's mood. "In fact, I think you've showed me all of the temple." She then made a face, as if thinking profoundly. "Or most of it, at least." She shrugged, then, adding, "One thing's certain: I know the gardens like the back of my hand, now."

"I'm sorry, Radiant Daw-" Diana cut herself off at the sight of Leona's raised eyebrow. "Leona. I'm sorry, Leona, I didn't mean to make you walk in circles."

"Every hall we've walked through and every turn we've made, all to always end up here again." Leona thought out loud, eyeing Diana curiously. "I'll take a guess and say the gardens are your favorite section of the temple, am I right?" She said, slowly beginning to walk again.

Diana followed her as she nodded. "The gardens are beautiful," She looked up at the skies, directly into the Sun. "The Sunlight makes it even better."

Leona's eyebrows shot up upon seeing the acolyte stare at the Sun. "And here I was, thinking that was a thing only I could do." She commented, making Diana eye her curiously.

"What thing?"

Leona simply mimicked what Diana had been doing before, making the scholar's eyes go wide in surprise. "Is this something all Solari can do?" Diana shook her head and, once she realized Leona wasn't looking at her, she spoke.

"No, I thought I was the only one who could do that." Leona looked at her, then. She shrugged and smiled.

"Guess you're  _Chosen_ , too."

Diana snorted, giving Leona a knowing look. "Sure."

The Radiant Dawn had noticed the look on Diana's face. "What's the matter?" She said, turning and entering a hall, her walk having no specific direction, so she simply followed through the maze these halls still were for her.

Diana didn't meet her eyes as she dared speak her mind a bit. "As you may have noticed before, the Elders are not too fond of me." Leona inclined her head to a side, her silence an invitation for Diana to go on, but the ebony haired girl was done speaking.

Leona pondered on her silence for a brief second.  _Guess I can't know any more for now_. They let the temple's sounds fill their silence for a while as they walked.

It was Diana's turn to speak, then. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," she responded automatically. "Go ahead."

Diana was still a bit nervous under Leona's eyes, but she steeled herself as she dared ask, "Why did you choose me to show you the temple? Surely Hanif was a better tour guide than I could ever be. I mean," She huffed a laugh. "I showed you the gardens three times already, without even noticing it."

Leona laughed. "Yeah, but they're pretty and it's also my fault for not telling you before, so I'm not complaining." Upon seeing Diana shake her head, she continued, explaining, "You make me feel normal, that's why I wanted you rather than that kid." She made a face then, showing the discomfort she felt whenever she thought about Hanif and how he looked at her. "He was too... too..." She struggled to find the right word. "...too  _excited_  to have me following him around the temple, while you weren't that crazy about it."

Diana was uncertain of how good or bad the Avatar's comment was. "But you're the Chosen One, we  _all_  are honored by your mere presence-"

"Oh  _please_ ," Leona cut her off. "You aren't fooling me with that one." She looked at her with knowing eyes.

Diana felt fear crawling up her spine. "What, what do you-"

"Diana, I saw you  _sleeping_  through most of the welcoming ceremony." She smirked. "And if that wasn't enough, you were  _grimacing_  while the Elders spoke." Leona had to contain her laughter upon remembering Diana's expression.

"I swear I was not grimacing at  _them_ -"

"Diana!" Leona cut her off, laughing at the sight of her panicked face. "I'm not scolding you! I actually found it hilarious. Your antics got me through the ceremony. Heaven knows I would have died of boredom if I hadn't spotted you."

Diana was unsure of how to react at Leona's words. "I, I-"

"Truth be told," She gently stopped the girl. "These last few days have been crazy for me." Leona said as she cast her eyes to the ground, her voice becoming softer and quieter. "I went from being an insult to the Ra-Horak and our traditions to a Goddess in the Solari's eyes in a matter of, what, seconds? And all because I was about to be  _executed_  and no other but the  _Sun_  herself intervened..." Leona's eyes went wide for a moment. "The Sun: not my friends, my  _parents_... the Sun had to interfere." Leona looked at Diana then, a blush creeping on her face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to overshare and bore you."

"You're not doing that at all," Diana answered almost immediately, not wanting the girl to feel bad. She hesitated for a second, but when she noticed there were no curious eyes around them, as they were all alone in that empty hall, she allowed herself a moment of bravery and placed a hand on Leona's shoulder, squeezing a bit and making Leona look at her. She smiled at the warrior, earning a relieved look from the girl, although her eyes were kind of sad.

"What I'm trying to say here is that you bring a bit of calm to the madness I've been living lately." Leona finally recollected her thoughts. "Seeing you, so unfazed by me and all this Chosen One circus, I just felt it; I immediately knew."

"Knew what?"

"That I'd rather get lost a thousand times inside this temple with someone who will speak to me as if I were a human being than be worshipped and praised, treated like royalty when that's something I'm not." Leona was staring into Diana's eyes, a hopeful look on her face. "Does it make sense?"

Diana smiled, a blush creeping on her face upon hearing Leona's words. "I guess it does." Leona beamed at her then and both fell into a comfortable silence.

It took Diana a few steps to notice that her hand was still on Leona's shoulder, so she quickly dropped it to her side, pointedly ignoring the smirk that grew on the warrior's face at her awkward movement. She let her mind wander back to Leona's words, to the warrior's look of sadness as she had spoken them.

Diana couldn't help the frown that formed on her face. The girl at her side wasn't some glorious messenger sent from Mount Targon's peak. She wasn't some messiah who had been awaiting her ascension.

Leona was just that: a girl, with her life, her friends, her family, her fears, her morals and values...

...In the end, maybe they weren't so different, she thought.

But, at the same time, she was. Leona did have many things she couldn't explain: A Ra-Horak who refused to kill...

... And no evident feeling of happiness concerning her status as Avatar of their goddess, the Sun.

Diana couldn't help but wonder what that could mean, how many doors such indifference would open.

And the way Leona just opened up to her, pouring her heart out like that...

She couldn't help herself as she went on in her mind about her; about her life, about what happened that day in the Rite of Kor.

So Diana allowed herself to believe that Leona was willing to tell her, and opened up her mouth to ask, "What happened in your Rite of Kor?"

Leona frowned at Diana. "What do you mean? You don't know? I thought everybody was aware of-"

"I  _know_  what happened, but from a Solari's point of view." She said, suggesting that she wanted the version clear of a Sun's worshipper's coating.

"Well," Leona said, taking a moment to think where to begin. "If you want to understand, you'll have to hear a bit of background story." The look she was giving Diana indicated the azure eyed girl that, more than a  _bit_  of background story, she'd have to listen to her whole life.

For some reason, that didn't seem like a bad thing. "I really wish to understand." Leona looked at her, a bit surprised that she accepted.

"Okay then," She began, taking a deep, shaky breath. "First things first, you must know that I'm a born and raised Ra-Horak. Ever since birth I was trained for the slaughter." She said, her discontent about this piece of information evident on her face. Suddenly it hit her that perhaps this girl knew nothing about the warrior tribe she came from, so she looked at Diana as she asked her, "Do you know what a Ra-Horak is?"

Diana nodded. "The best warriors the Rakkor will ever have, basically. I know almost everything about them, don't worry."

"Oh," Leona said, nodding in acknowledgement. She then let her eyes wander, looking at anything but Diana as she continued telling the woman her story. "All my life I've been trained to be a killer, but that has never sat well with me." She shook her head, emphasizing her point. "Fighting, harming,  _killing_ …" She closed her eyes and sighed. "I cannot bring myself to do it and, even worse, I refuse to even try."

Diana mirrored Leona's frown, but out of confusion instead of remembrance. "Why?"

"Because I'd rather die than hurt an innocent." Leona said, letting her eyes settle on Diana's. "Don't get me wrong, I'm as good at fighting as any other Ra-Horak out there, it's just that I don't get it; the killing and murdering without any kind of reason nor remorse…" Her frown turned into a scowl. "It doesn't go with me."

Diana couldn't wrap her head around the concept: a purebred Ra-Horak who didn't like fighting. "I thought all members of the warrior tribe felt the passion for war, the heat of battle and all that."

"Well, not me." Leona said, shrugging. "I believe that the true worth of a soldier lies in their ability to protect, not to harm." She explained then, earning a look of understanding out of Diana, as if the Solari could see her point.

"So you'd rather defend than attack?" Diana questioned, making Leona nod. "How uncanny." Leona huffed a laugh at Diana's remark.

"Yeah. So uncanny that everyone in the Ra-Horak camp disliked me." Leona said, looking crestfallen. "I had some friends, but even they would stay away from me from time to time. Those who were even less fond of me would call me names, things like  _peace-lover_." She snorted at her own words. "As if that were a bad thing."

"And what about your family?" Diana inquired. She refused to think anybody would dislike the auburn haired girl.  _Are the Ra-Horak really this disgusting?_

Diana didn't like Leona's somber, sad expression upon hearing her question. Not one bit.

She liked it even less when she finally spoke. "I've always been a problem to them. When it was time for me to have my Rite of Kor and I refused to fight, I could see the disappointment on their faces." She shook her head. "I don't think they miss me much. The rest of the story, you already know." She finished, looking at Diana with a small, sad smile on her face. "I'm sentenced to death for my antics and the Sun decides that it was not my time to die; word reaches the Solari and here I am!" She finished, smiling exaggeratedly and pointing at herself with both hands. " _The Chosen One, in all of her splendor!_ " She said, striking a ridiculous pose, earning a laugh from Diana. She joined the girl in her laughter, then. "Sorry about that, but the story had turned too sad for my liking."

"Well, it was a sad story." Diana commented, letting her eyes set on Leona's for a moment, then scanning their surroundings. She snorted.

"What is it?"

"I can't believe you led us back into the gardens." Leona frowned, letting her eyes go over the scenery. When she realized they were back where they had started –that same fountain –she laughed, shaking her head.

"I've got no way of explaining how that happened."

Diana laughed, walking towards a stone bench that faced the fountain. "Here, let's rest for a while. We've walked too much."

"Couldn't agree more with you." The Radiant Dawn said as she followed Diana, sitting down next to her, daring to ask the girl, "What about you, Diana?"

"Huh?"

"Tell me about yourself, I want to get to know you." Leona explained, smiling at Diana and watching her with curiosity shining in those golden eyes.

The Solari began to grow uncomfortable under Leona's stare. Being as much of an outcast as Leona herself, she simply wasn't used to people  _wanting_  to know her. In fact, Helena was the only one who actually knew  _anything_  about her.

Well, who knew  _everything_  about her. Sometimes, Diana thought that the proud brunette knew her better than herself.

But  _this?_  Sharing her life, her personal stuff with the  _Radiant Dawn_ , nonetheless?

Diana realized she was frowning only when Leona placed her hand atop her own, making her eyes snap back to the warrior's, who was regarding her with that warm smile of hers.

"It's okay, you can trust me." Her voice was soft, reassuring.

But it wasn't enough for Diana, yet.

"It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that…" She began, defensively, then halted, once she realized that her problem was actually just that: she wasn't sure if she could trust her.

Diana cast her eyes on the ground. Talking about herself was something she simply didn't do, for nobody cared.

For nobody could know about her love for the Moon.

Specially not  _her_. Specially not the  _Chosen of the Sun_.

She let her eyes go back to Leona, who was still smiling at her, patiently waiting for the girl to open up. The Ra-Horak warrior had poured her heart out, telling her  _everything_  about her life and how it was driving her mad: the anger she felt towards her own people, the sadness upon realizing her parents saw her as a problem child, the overwhelming whirl of emotions that implied going from the butcher's block to a religion's godly throne…

Diana decided that if Leona had been brave enough to let her in, then she would be just as brave.

So she took a shaky breath, closed her eyes, and began, "My parents died in an icy storm when I was a baby. Somehow, I managed to survive long enough for my guardian, Marcus, to find me." She took a peek at Leona's face, only to find the girl completely focused on her; on her words, her movements, her face.

So Diana went on, "He took me to his house and raised me like he would his own daughter. It was just the two of us, living easily at the base of Mount Targon, in a tiny, wooden house by the forest." She closed her eyes, trying to go back to that house, to the woods that surrounded it. "We were very close, but he wanted me to pursue a higher life, with bigger ambitions, so he taught me the way of the Sun and sent a letter to the Solari, begging for my admission into the temple as a new apprentice."

She opened her eyes, but didn't let herself stare back at Leona, letting her sight wander to the fountain in front of them. "Obviously, I was accepted and I moved here, leaving Marcus and the forest behind." She smiled when her memories forwarded a little bit. "Here I met Helena, my best friend."

"That's the girl who was at your side during the welcoming ceremony, right?"

Diana nodded. "She's the best person I've ever met and she happens to be as much a nerd as I am, so that means she doesn't mind the burial-like silence I fall in whenever I'm studying." She laughed, remembering the several nicknames her friend had baptized her with, if only to mess with her and her love for books. "When she's in a good mood, she calls me Di. When she isn't, she calls me things like donkey or gremlin." Her eyes snapped back to Leona when she heard her laugh.

" _Gremlin_?" Was all the Ra-Horak could get out in between fits of laughter. Diana smiled broadly and nodded.

"Sometimes she even gets more imaginative, but if I had to tell you the whole list of names she has for me, we'd spend the whole week sitting here."

"At this rate, I think I wouldn't mind that." The Chosen One breathed out, finally calming down.

Diana pointedly ignored her comment, trying her best not to blush at the girl's words, as if she could actually control that. "And that's basically my story: orphan child with a very creative best friend." She shrugged, unsure of what else to say.

But Leona knew better. "No way that's the whole story."

"What do you mean? We all don't have amazing, interesting lives, you know…" Diana was getting defensive again, so Leona tried a different approach.

"That's not what I meant, what I mean is that there must be something else because if not I cannot explain why that old bag of bones, Elder Eos, hates you so much." The auburn haired girl said, pressing for information in that gentle manner of hers.

Diana was biting the inner side of her cheek, nervousness attacking her again. Damn you. She began shifting on her seat, looking at anything but the girl next to her.

She didn't notice that Leona had never let go of her hand until then, when the girl squeezed. "Hey, it's okay." She breathed out, making Diana look at her, her uncertainty evident on her face. "Whatever it is, I don't think it could be worse than my crimes against my people." She smiled at Diana, hoping the girl would open up.

Anyone else, anyone who knew Diana in the minimum, would consider Leona's a fool's hope.

Anyone else, normally, would be right. But it wasn't a normal case.

Perhaps Diana should blame it on the easy smiles the girl with the golden eyes gave her, or the way she spoke so softly, a contagious air of confidence to her. Perhaps there was nothing and no one else to blame, but herself.

Whatever the case, she didn't care. All she cared about was that, for the first time in the Sun knows how long, she was going to break her golden rule;  _Let the night be your little, greedy secret._

"Well, something tells me I'm just as bad, you know?"

Leona raised an eyebrow. "What could be worse than insulting a whole warrior tribe the way I did?"

Diana glanced at her hand, the one that Leona was still holding. "Well, insulting a whole religion the way I  _do_." When she slowly dragged her eyes upwards to see the Chosen One's reaction, she was greeted with a curious look, the other girl's head inclined to a side.

She thought for a moment, trying to find the best way to explain her nightly tendencies without sounding  _too heretic…_

"I love the Sun and everything she means: the warm summers, the hot breezes, the sunlight that hits my skin and warms my heart…" She couldn't look at the Sun's  _Chosen One_  as she continued, "…but I feel a certain curiosity about the  _other one_."

Leona narrowed her eyes in concentration, deciphering Diana's words. "The other one… You mean the Moon?" Diana nodded, too afraid to look at Leona.

"It's too hard for me to explain it, but this intrigue that she causes me, it's too strong; like a thirst I cannot quench, a fire I cannot quell." She frowned. "No matter how much I look at her, how much I try to understand, it won't let me go." Realizing she said too much, her face grew hot like the desert, so she shook her head and covered it with her hands, forcing hers away from Leona's. "Forget I said anything, it's too stupid-"

"I don't think it's stupid."

Diana's hysteria attack subsided for a moment. She tried to make sense of Leona's words. "What?"

"I said I don't think it's stupid." She repeated herself, making Diana slowly look at her. "You know everything there is to know about the Sun, why not know about the Moon, too? I don't know," She shrugged. "It seems logical to me. It even makes sense." Diana frowned at the girl.

"But…" She shook her head, as if unable to believe it. Was really there, right in front of her, someone else who might appreciate the Moon like she did?

And was that someone else  _really_ , of all people in Runeterra, the Chosen of the Sun?

She tried to get the words out. "…But, don't you know about the Moon and her cruelty? How she is the matron of death and evil, how there's no power, no life, no good to be received from her?"

Leona shrugged again. "If I'm honest, I'm not very religious myself. Back in the camp, nobody pays that much attention to religion. We all respect it, but don't really care for it. And, between us," She smirked then, complicity shining in her eyes. "I usually train at night."

Diana's eyes grew in size. "Really?"

Leona made a sound of agreement. "Daytime is my thing and it's always been," She huffed a laugh, "One could even dare and guess that I'd become the Chosen of the Sun one day, but there's also beauty to be found at night; the cool breezes, the calm, sleep-like sounds of the wilderness, the unfolding quietness…" She closed her eyes and sighed. "Nighttime is definitely my favorite time for training." She let one eye open, spying on Diana. "I don't think it suits me anymore, though, considering I'm basically the Sun, right?"

Diana shook her head, finding Leona herself way too unreal. "According to what I've learnt, no."

"And according to your own, personal beliefs?"

Diana didn't want to know how was it possible for Leona to get inside her mind so easily, so quickly. "I don't believe the Sun and the Moon are necessarily enemies…"

"What do you believe, then?" Those curious eyes did not waver from the azure ones.

"I'm not entirely sure…" Diana said, confused by the nature of their talk. "But I don't think they hate each other."

Leona smiled knowingly. "Now I understand why the Elders dislike you so much." Upon seeing Diana's expression of discomfort at the mentioning of the Elders, Leona added, "I think they don't really like me, either."

"With the way you humiliated Elder Eos in front of everyone?" Diana shook her head. "No way he'd ever like you." She made Leona laugh.

"I know, but I think he wasn't too fond of me from the very beginning." When she saw Diana arch an eyebrow, she added, "I think he doesn't like the fact that his Sun's Chosen One is a woman."

Diana pondered on this for a moment. "Well, every Avatar before you have been male, but what makes you think you being a woman bothers him?"

"Let's say I eavesdropped on one of his conversations with the Commander of the Ra-Horak and he didn't sound too happy about it."

"Well, he'd better get used to it." Diana said, a smug look on her face, as if feeling this piece of information like a personal victory over the old man.

"Yeah, he'd better." Leona echoed, nodding and smiling at the girl.

The two of them fell quiet, feeling comfortable in each other's company. Leona's eyes were on the fountain, her sight following the fluid motions of the water, so Diana let herself stare at the Ra-Horak, taking her in.

Leona was slightly taller than her, but seemed to be of her same age. Her golden eyes and reddish hair made her stand out, especially so since every Solari had brown or blonde hair, with Diana herself being the only other exception, her night-like hair making her stand out just as much as Leona's. The girl's arms had tiny scars all over them, both the markings and the muscles underneath them serving as evidence of her Ra-Horak upbringing.

It wasn't until Leona waved a hand in front of Diana's eyes that the girl noticed, not only that she had been discovered while staring, but also that Leona had spoken to her. "Is anyone home?" The warrior asked, an amused look on her face, mirth shining in her eyes.

Diana shook her head, her blush making her match with Leona's auburn locks. "What?"

Leona tried to suppress her laugh as she repeated herself, "I asked you why you know so much about the Ra-Horak. Do they make you study them in here?"

"Oh, that." Diana said, her face turning somber. "No, I read about them on my own."

"Is that so? Where you interested in learning more about your Chosen?" Leona joked, a cocky look on her face, but Diana's headshake and expression told her this was not the moment for joking, so she slowly went back to a more serious look.

"The Elders consider me a  _very avid fighter with a very promising future_ ," She began explaining, repeating the very same words the Elders had said to her, "And believe my true, full potential would be wasted if I were to finish my training as a scholar, so they want to send me to the Ra-Horak camps, to exploit my abilities in combat." Diana sighed. "They aren't lying: I'm good at fighting, but they're not sending me because of it: they're doing so because they hate me and want me as far away as possible." She finished, casting her eyes on her hands as she fiddled with them, frowning.

Leona looked genuinely sad for the girl. "I'm very sorry to hear that."

Diana shrugged. "It's fine, I guess." She looked at Leona, smiling sadly. "I think I'm ready for it."

Leona's brow creased, giving Diana the impression that she was about to say something, but then she saw Helena approaching them, her eyes hot on Diana's face.

"There you are, you donkey!" Helena's voice sounded loudly. "Do you know how long I've been looking for you? Mistress Sekhet has been looking for us-" She cut herself off when she saw Diana's companion turn to look at her, taking just a second to recognize her. She blushed as she bowed deeply, saying, "Chosen One! Apologies, I didn't know it was you."

Leona rolled her eyes, making Diana smile. "No formalities nor apologies needed." She stood from her seat as she saw Diana do the same.

Helena didn't look at Leona for long, all of a sudden feeling shy in front of her deity's aspect. "Diana, we are required in Mistress Sekhet's study."

"Guess I'm leaving," Diana said to Leona, then looked at Helena, ignoring the curious glances her friend was regarding her with. "Lead the way."

Helena turned on her heel and began walking, Diana following slowly. "I hope you can find your way to your chambers,  _Chosen One_." She said, opting to call Leona by her title when in front of others, even if that other was just Helena.

Leona laughed. "I hope so, too, Diana." She stared at the two girls as they walked away when she felt the urge to make Diana one last question, "Will I see you later?" She called after them.

Diana turned, walking backwards for a moment, if only to smile one last time at Leona. "If that is my Sun's will, I must fulfill it."

The bright smile Leona regarded her with was a perfect twin to hers.


	5. Chapter 5

Leona couldn't believe it, but she had actually found her way to her chambers. Sure, it took her long enough that the sun had already set, dusk claiming the skies instead, but still.

She opened the door and walked in; it was a big room, with a desk, some shelves –resembling a small, personal library –and an empty wardrobe for her to put her belongings in to a side and a big, four-poster bed with a nightstand to each side on the other. The wall furthest from her was actually a balcony, with thick, white curtains to block, she guessed, not the Sun's light but the Moon's intrusion into her chambers. She made her way through the room, dropping her things near the wardrobe, then letting her body fall on the bed's mattress.

She relaxed into the sheets and let out a happy, yet tired, sigh, thinking how useful Diana's lousy tour through the temple ended up being.

 _Diana_. The warrior raised a brow at the thought of the Solari acolyte.  _What a strange girl_.

She smiled, then, as she remembered her day alongside the girl.  _Strange in the good way, though_.

She had just arrived at the Solari temple and everyone was already staring at her as if she were made of pure gold, their eyes wide and mouths agape. Leona's calm, laid back nature made her feel ridiculous and uncomfortable under their watchful eyes. She had never been too fond of the spotlight, of being the center of attention, the main act of the play. She was content, happy even, with going unnoticed, just another face in the crowd, another shadow lost in the dark.

But that was the problem: darkness was not to be her theme any longer, not anymore.

_No. I'm the Sun's Avatar, now._

The Chosen of the Sun frowned, letting her ignorance get the best of her.

_What in the Void does that mean to me?_

It frustrated her to no end, for she knew the answer to that question.

_Nothing._

It meant nothing to her. She had never been that religious and now she was to be her religion's  _icon_.

Leona covered her eyes with her arm, letting out a long, tired sigh. The last few days had been a whirlwind of emotions and they were all still catching up to her. She didn't know how she felt.

Was she sad to be away from home? Or was it relief what she felt in her chest every time she thought of the distance separating her from the Ra-Horak camp?

Was it anger, the thing that nestled on her chest and made her clench her hands in fists? Or was it desperation, for every time she remembered her execution, she could perfectly recall how  _nobody_  even  _doubted_ , how they all were there, just waiting for her to die, without moving a finger to stop it or intervene?

One thing she did know: She had never felt this alone in her whole, entire life. Sure, she had experienced loneliness before, but nothing like  _this._

This feeling of extreme isolation.

She  _hated_  it.

But then her mind wandered back to Diana.

_Diana._

What an unexpected surprise she was.

Unexpected, yet pleasant.

She had to resist the urge to laugh every time she remembered her entrance to the temple: how she had walked down the aisle towards the Elders' table, her vision picking up Diana immediately due to her incredibly dark hair, making her cast a little glance at her, curiosity always getting the best of the warrior.

She tried, but she couldn't contain her laughter, when she remembered how she had caught Diana  _sleeping._

_She was sleeping. She was fucking sleeping through the whole thing._

Not falling asleep, not closing her eyes out of boredom.  _Sleeping._ The girl somehow had managed to fall into a deep slumber during the ceremony while  _standing_ and, as if that weren't enough, while having a choir _behind_ her _._  And they were singing  _loudly_.

_What a champion._

Leona couldn't help but admire her: she honestly believed that, in order to sleep through something like that without trouble, one had to be trained in the art of slumber.

 _Really, that must take skill. I cannot sleep while_ seated _and this woman_   _just naps while on her_ feet?

 _Teach me your ways, you_ Queen _. I humbly beg you._

The loneliness she felt subsided at the thought of the strange Solari. Leona couldn't put her finger as to what it was about Diana that made her feel so  _good,_  but one thing she did know; Diana didn't care about her being the Chosen One.

_By the light, forget whether she cares or not: I think she straightforwardly doesn't give a shit about it._

Not that she found it offensive. Actually, Leona appreciated it; it made Diana the only person in the whole temple who would look at her and talk to her like a normal person would, like an equal, instead of some godsend.

And being the  _Chosen of the Sun_  was something that didn't really mean much to her either, anyway. What was the point of it, of being the Sun's protegée? Was she just to be an icon, a tool for the Solari to use as they needed?

Even worse, to use as they  _pleased?_

She couldn't decipher what it meant, or would mean, to be the Sun's Champion. She didn't think she wanted to know but, unfortunately, she  _had_ to, eventually.  _That_  she knew.

She'd have to learn, but  _really learn,_  the way of the Sun; know it like a true Solari, not like a true Ra-Horak. And she only had a week to learn.

She grimaced. She only had a week to learn from  _Hanif._

She extended her arms to her sides, sighing out of exhaustion. Not that she thought anything ill of him. By the Void, she didn't even  _know_  him. She was certain he must be an incredible young man: a scholar capable of teaching the way of the Sun without breaking a sweat…

…And  _there_ the problem lay.

He was  _too_  excited about it all. He was  _too_  honored by his task,  _too_  proud to be the Chosen One's tutor,  _too_  pleased to serve her…

…He was  _too_  devoted to the Sun.

_It's too much for my liking, and more than what I can stomach._

She needed someone who could actually understand that she was not raised for a religious life, one of praying and praising, of waking up with the Dawn and hiding away with the Dusk.

She was not one for a life of adoring nor adoration and she expected her tutor to comprehend, to be able to put themselves on her shoes and teach her what she had to learn with this idea on their mind.

She wasn't surprised when her thoughts went back to a  _certain_  someone who fit her needs.

She was starting to grow curious about  _why_ she was so caught up with her, though.

And then it was when it dawned on her.

_She makes me forget two things;_

_One, that I'm the Chosen One._

_Two, that I was a Ra-Horak._

Because that was another thing that people just wouldn't let go: If they weren't adoring her for basically being the Sun, they were admiring her mastery of the sword and shield. They all made her feel as if she wasn't Leona anymore; she was just a goddess, just a warrior, or both at the same time, but never neither.

But Diana didn't care: she didn't see her as a goddess, she didn't see her as a warrior.

She saw her as Leona; a girl who happens to know how to fight and somehow ended up being too important for their deity.

_Well, it does sound somewhat comical if I think about it that way. Still, it's the truth._

But then she remembered that Diana was to be sent to the Ra-Horak, to turn her into a killing machine, so it didn't matter anymore.

Leona frowned, turning her head to a side, looking through the window at the night sky, the Moon perfectly accompanied by uncountable stars.

It didn't matter anymore, did it?

Her brain replayed something Diana had told her about Helena before.

" _She happens to be as much a nerd as I am…"_ Leona repeated out loud the words the raven haired Solari had said.

And an idea popped into her mind. If she had been able to avoid Hanif before, she definitely could do it again. She could give it a shot and try, at least.

She smiled, the night's mistress the only witness, as she crawled into her bed and went to sleep, hoping she could have it her way again.

* * *

Hanif made the final steps down the hall, his emotions threatening to give him a heart attack. He was both excited and terrified: today was his first day as the Radiant Dawn's tutor.

He had woken up a bit before the Sun herself did and began his way to the Chosen's chambers, so as to begin her training just as the evil night gave way to the glorious dawn.

He reached her door, took a deep breath and knocked, getting ready to greet her.

A minute passed.

Then five.

And the Radiant Dawn didn't answer.

He thought that, perhaps, she was still asleep, so he knocked again, this time with enough force to make some significant noise.

Another minute passed.

Then another five.

And the Radiant Dawn still didn't answer.

He began to grow anxious. Why didn't she answer? Was she okay?

The thought that perhaps she wasn't installed itself on his mind, desperation raking its' ugly nails down his brain.

So he did what he thought best: he angled himself so that his shoulder faced the door and lunged for it, hitting it with all of his force. The door didn't budge, so he tried again, running the same luck.

He took some steps backwards and, after a deep breath, sprinted towards the door, letting his shoulder hit it with all of his force. This time, the door yielded, opening up due to his stampede.

He scanned the room in search for Leona, for a threat, for  _anything-_

But there was nothing, except a tidy bed and some clothes, which were folded and laid on top of the wardrobe.

Leona was nowhere to be found.

He gulped.

_The Elders will kill me._

* * *

Having walked past three acolytes without being noticed, Leona couldn't help but think how smart of an idea it had been to dress with the same white tunic as them and use another one as a makeshift hood, covering her hair and enough of her features so as not to be easily recognizable.

Guessing that Hanif would want to begin her training at dawn, she had woken up a while before it, tidying up her room and getting into her disguise, looking like no one but another scholar. Once she had made sure she could go unnoticed, she left her room in pursuit of…

…Honestly, she wasn't sure. Her plan's main objective had already been fulfilled: to run away from Hanif's lesson before it was too late.

Now she was wandering the halls, trying to remember where each turn would lead her, hoping to find a familiar, friendly face. Or hear a deep, smooth voice. Both were good options.

She took a turn left and saw someone some meters away, their back to her. It was a girl and she was talking lowly, so she began walking slower, trying to avoid being detected and hoping to eavesdrop, if just to see if she could get something useful out of it.

"I swear by the Sun and everything holy, next time I see that  _donkey…"_  The seemingly angry voice muttered, her last words too low for Leona to hear.

_Donkey._

As far as she knew, there was only one person who called someone else  _donkey._

_Helena._

She smiled as she began to walk a bit faster, hoping to greet the girl.

But then she saw a woman approach Helena: A tall black woman with hair almost as dark as Diana's and  _Elder robes_ on.

She immediately hid in a hallway to her left, afraid that if the woman saw her, would send her back to Hanif.  _By the Void, no._

"Helena, there you are!" The Elders' voice was rich and animated. It reminded Leona of summer evenings spent sparring until twilight faded away, turning each warrior into a puddle of sweat, the adrenaline of the fight lifting everybody's spirits.

"Mistress Sekhet!" Helena said, bowing her head in greeting. "Morning blessings to you."

"Morning blessings to you, too, dear. What where you doing here, all alone? It's not a common sight for my eyes, to see Helena without her Diana." Sekhet smiled at the girl.

"Well, you see," Helena began, unsure of how to put her current dilemma into words. "I was just looking for her."

Sekhet arched one of her perfect eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Diana's schedule for today is empty, since she's leaving for the Ra-Horak at noon." There was an awful tinge of sadness in Helena's voice.

"That I heard." Sekhet's voice didn't sound all too pleased with the news, etiher. "You must know, darling, I had nothing to do with her planned departure. I was the one vote against it, actually."

"I know, Mistress. Diana knows, too."

"Such a shame, to send such a promising acolyte to a camp full of those… those-"

"I believe it's my duty to remind you, Mistress, that our Chosen is a Ra-Horak." Helena cut Sekhet off before she could say anything negative about the warrior tribe. Mistress Sekhet laughed.

"Thank you, dear, you and Diana have always watched my back."

"And we'll continue to do so, that I swear." Helena's voice had a lighter air. She enjoyed talking with this woman. "So, as I was saying, Diana's schedule is free, so she's ran off and left me a riddle to find her."

Both Sekhet's and Leona's eyebrows rose in curiosity. "A  _riddle?"_

Helena nodded. "I happen to like poems and riddles and she's kind of good at writing those, so whenever she feels like it, she leaves one behind for me to read or decipher." She shrugged, then. "She left me one this morning which supposedly tells me where she is and what she's doing, but I'm lacking the mental clarity to solve it." She confessed, stifling a yawn.

"Well then," Sekhet's voice seemed to dance with the intrigue she felt. "Let me help you."

Helena read the piece of paper she was holding out loud:

" _Where she's born and never dead,_

_Where the reaper to the heavens begins her ascent._

_Where I'm with the might of a restless fiend,_

_Pretending the future I had just dreamed."_

Helena lifted her eyes to Mistress Sekhet's once more, hoping for an answer, but all she encountered was the Elder's eyes following a rapid movement happening behind her. Helena turned to check what was happening, but there was nothing for her to see. "Is something the matter, Mistress?" Helena asked her as she turned to look at her in the eye again.

"Were you aware that we were being spied?" Mistress Sekhet asked calmly, her eyes still scanning their surroundings, while Helena's grew in size.

"No."

"Well, whoever our little spy is, they sure are clever."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because, judging by their timing, I think they solved the riddle."

* * *

 _East._  Leona made her way to the eastern wing of the temple, amused at the little enigmatic game the strange Solari had put them in.  _She's east of the temple._

She searched the area, the adrenaline of the game catching up to her, making her move faster than ever. She inspected every turn, every corner, every hiding spot available, but didn't find anything.

She halted in her actions, frowning in concentration. She couldn't be wrong, could she?  _Where she's born and never dead._ Leona was convinced that, clearly, the girl had been talking about the Sun, where she rises but never sets.  _Where the reaper to the heavens begins her ascent._ Didn't the Moon rise on the same side?

She refused to believe she was wrong, so she walked towards the temple's eastern doors and made her way outside, hoping to find Diana in the woods which she knew lay close to the building.

Leona walked for a few minutes, letting her eyes scan the horizon in search for the Solari, her black hair, azure eyes. She entered the woods, having to avoid some trees, roots and branches, until she ended up hitting a clearing with a little rocky stream going through it.

She felt a triumphant smile plaster itself on her face when she finally located her objective, who was sitting by the stream's side, her legs in the water, her face to the Sun. She had her eyes closed and didn't seem to alert Leona's intrusion.

So the girl slowed down on her gait, not wishing to disturb Diana.

Her body instinctively fell into a predator's stance, the warrior's movements becoming those of a hunter, Diana being her prey. She didn't pay attention at anything else but the girl who was relaxing by the stream's side.

She was at Diana's back, just a few meters away from her, so she moved even slower, the last few steps being always the most difficult ones.

Leona smirked as she reached the girl and was about to surprise her, when Diana jumped to her feet and turned, all in one, fluid motion.

" _Hi, Helena!"_ Diana shouted as she turned to face Leona, thinking her to be her best friend, hoping to scare her wits from her.

She  _did_ succeed in the scaring part, making Leona take a false step backwards and fall to the ground.

But she was  _mortified_  when she recognized who hid underneath the hood.

"By the light, you're not Helena." Diana's thoughts escaped her mouth, the girl being unable to filter them.

"No, I'm not." Was all Leona could say back as she felt her heart's rapid speed and waited for it to return to a more normal rate. She could only be impressed by Diana's speed as the girl, in just a blink of an eye, crouched next to her.

"Let me help you up." Diana said, both fear and embarrassment at what she'd done were evident in her voice. Leona gently refused her help, slowly managing to get her feet on the floor, pushing herself up.

"It's fine, don't worry." She said as she stood, Diana doing the same.

"Apologies, Rad-"

"If you finish that sentence," Leona said, cutting a nervous Diana off. "I'm not forgiving you." The raven haired girl stared at her with a confused look.

"But, but I-"

" _You_  are  _not_  allowed to call me Radiant Dawn." Leona reminded the girl as Diana remembered the warrior's  _order_  from the day before, her mouth forming an  _Oh_  as her eyebrows rose a bit.

"Okay, let me try again, then. I'm really sorry, Leona, I didn't mean-"

Leona's laugh cut her off. "Okay, that's better, but you don't need to apologize." She dusted herself off, giving Diana time to calm down and giving her heart the last seconds it needed to reach a normal heart rate. "I was going to do that same thing to you."

Diana eyed Leona curiously. "You were trying to  _scare_ me?" Leona nodded.

"Yeah, but you beat me to it." She shrugged. "Guess it's true that karma always catches up to you." Diana laughed at her words.

"I think it got ahead of you, this time."

Leona smiled. "That it did." It was only then that she noticed the way Diana was dressed: the girl was not wearing the typical Solari robes. Instead, Diana was wearing reddish robes that reached just above her knee, a leather skirt and an iron shoulder plate on her right arm, which held her attire in place, making it fit her like a glove. To Diana's left, her boots lay, looking completely different to the ones the other scholars wore, the girl's looking more like battle footwear than the rest's.

Leona frowned, letting her thoughts be heard. "Looking like a true warrior, aren't we?" Diana's expression suddenly fell upon hearing her words, the girl nodding with a sigh.

"Now I'm ready to go and learn some useful things, like how to decapitate a person with my bare hands." Diana said, her dark humor getting the best of her as mimicked a decapitation, making Leona snort.

"Please, we aren't  _that_  barbaric: we decapitate people with swords only." Diana huffed a laugh as Leona added, "There's a reason why we threaten others doing  _this,"_ She said, as she dragged a finger over her neck, "instead of that." She pointed at Diana's hands.

"You Ra-Horaks are too delicate to get your hands dirty, that's the problem." Diana said, making Leona nod in agreement. She then changed the subject as she thought about something. "How did you find me?"

Leona smiled knowingly. "Let's say I eavesdropped Helena and Mistress Sekhet a little while ago and they were talking about a certain  _riddle_ that I solved… _"_ She tried to contain a laugh as Diana groaned, trying to cover her blushing face with her hands.

"By the light, no." Diana said, looking away from Leona, into the stream.

"By the light, yes." Leona moved to stand by her side, allowing herself to grab Diana's wrists and bring her hands down. "Didn't know you had a thing for poetry." Diana sighed, trying to let go of her embarrassment, trying to come up with something to shoot back.

She raised an eyebrow, smirking at Leona, when she finally thought about something. "Didn't know you had a thing for spying on people." When Leona opened her mouth to protest, she continued, "First your Commander and Elder Eos, now my best friend and Mistress Sekhet?"

Leona's eyes went wide for a second. Then, she laughed, releasing Diana's hands and raising hers in surrender. "Okay, you got me. Mine is a curious soul."

"A  _too_  curious soul."

Leona rolled her eyes. "A  _too_ curious soul." She echoed Diana's words, making the other girl laugh. She looked at the Solari as she sat down again, letting her legs dangle over the stream's edge, her feet touching the water. Leona took off her own boots and sat down next to the girl, almost sighing in relief as the cool water hit her heated skin.

"What are you doing out here?" Diana suddenly questioned, making Leona look at her in confusion, so the girl explained herself, "Weren't you supposed to be with Hanif?"

Leona tried not to groan at the sound of his name but she failed, making Diana's eyes grow a bit in size, Leona's annoyance at the boy being totally unexpected. "I ran away from my lessons; I don't want to praise the Sun with him." Was all Leona offered as an explanation. When Diana nodded, commenting how it  _seemed fair enough for her,_  she asked, "What are you doing out here?" She let her eyes stay on Diana, while the girl's eyes were lost, her stare glued to the water.

" _Where I'm with the might of a restless fiend pretending the future I had just dreamed."_  She cited the riddle she had given Helena. "I'm trying to forget that I'm leaving the temple in a matter of hours."

"You really don't want to go, do you?" Leona asked her, feeling nothing but Diana's own sadness. The girl shook her head.

"I don't particularly care about my training going from mental to physical, but I'll miss Helena too much." Her brows creased as she said, "She's the world to me." Diana stayed quiet for a minute, as if pondering what else she'd miss. "Then there's Mistress Sekhet… She's the nicest of all Elders."

"Why do you call her Mistress Sekhet if she's an Elder?" Leona asked her, not knowing about Sekhet's title until that very moment.

Diana's stare moved towards Leona's and the warrior could see mirth shining in the azure of her eyes. "She says she refuses to be mistaken by one of those, and I quote,  _decrepit bags of bones._ " She laughed, shaking her head at the thought of Mistress Sekhet. "Since she's the only female Elder, she demands we call her Mistress, so nobody ever forgets that there's a woman who's made it to the highest position." Diana frowned, thinking for a minute. "Though nobody will ever forget that now, considering you're… well, you."

Leona smirked, Diana's refusal to call her by her title not going unnoticed by her. "I like Mistress Sekhet already."

"More than once, she's argued with the rest of the Elders just to save me from being punished." Diana cast her eyes to the water again. "She's the only one with authority that stands up for me."

"I  _really_ like Mistress Sekhet already." Leona said, making Diana laugh.

The raven haired girl remembered the events that had occurred the day before and smiled, saying, "Seems I've got someone else with authority standing up for me now, though."

Leona was about to say something when they heard a tree branch snap. Both were immediately on their feet and, knowing that only Helena and Mistress Sekhet knew about Diana's whereabouts, Leona guessed it could only be a Solari, so she was sporting a panicked look that had Diana staring at her with concern.

"I shouldn't be here!" Leona whispered and it was all Diana needed to spring into action.

The girl pointed Leona to a leafy tree that was near them. "Climb that tree and stay quiet." She ordered and Leona didn't have to think twice as she obeyed the future Ra-Horak.

In a matter of seconds, Leona was already up on the highest branch that could support her, the warrior's back pressed to the trunk as she let the leaves cover her. She made eye contact with Diana, nodding once, then the other girl was looking towards the source of the sound, where three other acolytes appeared, all dressed with white robes.  _Scholars._

Leona studied them with a soldier's eye as they approached Diana: the one in the center of the group was big and bulky, perhaps of the same height as her. He had a long wooden shaft on his right hand. The two scholars who flanked him weren't as muscular, looking lanky in comparison.

"Well, look what we have here!" The bulky one said exaggeratedly, looking at his friends as he pointed at Diana with the shaft. "The looney  _Lunari_." He twirled the shaft somewhat sloppily on his hand and it was only then that Leona allowed herself to think that maybe it actually was a polearm. Diana scoffed, making the hidden warrior look at her.

"Armin, this is getting old." She said, clearly unamused by him. Leona tried not to worry for the girl, for it was evident this  _Armin_ wanted to mess with her, giving Leona the urge to defend her, but Diana looked too calm with the situation, her attire reminding Leona that this girl was considered a  _promising warrior_.

 _She must be capable of handling it herself,_ she thought, yet scowled at Armin, her hands balling into fists.  _Still, if he dares, I'm going to show him how badly the Sun can burn._

"You know what's getting old,  _moon-addled?"_ Armin said, trying to taunt her.

"That nickname? I'm sure you can come up with a better one." Diana was completely unaffected by him. It surprised Leona how easily the girl could put herself above them.

Armin clenched his teeth. "I'll show you something better!" With that, he lunged for Diana, the polearm raised above his head. Leona was ready to jump from her hiding spot and interfere, but she caught Diana looking at her, a stern look on her face, as if she was warning Leona not to reveal herself.

Then, in a matter of seconds, Diana was moving to a side, perfectly dodging the attack and taking advantage of the bad position Armin ended in to grab the wooden shaft, pulling it to her, bringing the boy towards her.

She raised her leg to her chest and then kicked him on the stomach, making him bend over in pain, using that time in which he tried to recompose himself to pivot on her other foot, bring her extended leg close to her chest and kick him again, this time on the face.

Armin fell to the ground as Diana twirled the polearm to her side, the object moving perfectly with her dexterous hands. She moved the weapon in front of her, halting the movement to point at the other two Solari who stood there, completely in shock at her.

Diana raised an eyebrow, daring them to come for her, but the two lanky guys ran away, leaving Armin behind.

Despite her awed state, Leona's eyes caught movement near them, making her stare move towards the new intruder, only to find Mistress Sekhet approaching them, the Elder having finally solved Diana's riddle.

Diana had felt Sekhet's presence too, for she turned to look at the woman, her confident, warrior's stance turning into one of shame upon being found like that; beating a fellow Solari. Armin took advantage of Sekhet's distraction and stood up, backing away from Diana.

"Elder Sekhet, Diana was-"

" _Elder_  Sekhet?" She cut the boy off, looking at him with pure venom in her eyes. "I think not." She looked at Diana then. "Finish what you were doing, dear."

Diana raised her head at the Elder's words, looking at her with surprise. Then her look of surprise was gone, replaced by a confident, predator's smile, as she turned to face Armin, the boy backing away from her, stuttering, and began to twirl the polearm on her hands again.

Armin turned and ran away like a scared cat, making Diana laugh as she dropped the makeshift weapon to the ground. The girl turned to look at Sekhet and bowed. "Thank you, Mistress. Morning blessings to you."

Leona tried not to feel surprised when she saw the Elder bow. She hadn't seen any of the others bow to greet a student, not even when she saw Sekhet with Helena. "Morning blessings to you too, Diana. I'll take it that he began whatever feud was going on as I arrived?"

"He attacked first, Mistress. I only reacted out of self-defense." Diana explained as she lowered her head.

Mistress Sekhet stayed quiet for a moment, as if pondering Diana's words. Then, she said, "I never liked him much, I'll pretend this never happened."

Diana smiled. "What are you talking about?" The scholar said in complicity, making Sekhet smile.

" _That's_  the Diana I love, right there." She approached the acolyte and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Are you ready for your departure, dear?"

Diana's eyes didn't meet Sekhet's as she said. "To be honest, no. I don't want to go."

Then Mistress Sekhet was hugging the girl, her grip tight. "I'm really sorry, dear."

Diana returned the embrace. "I know." When they pulled apart, she dared ask, "We must return to the temple, right?"

"Yes.  _All_  of us." Sekhet said, her eyes moving towards the tree were Leona was hiding.

The warrior couldn't help herself as she whispered, " _Shit"._

She tried not to repeat herself when Sekhet said, "I heard that."

Diana was thankful that Mistress Sekhet was looking at the tree as Leona descended, for the blush she had on her face was impossible to hide.

When Leona hit the ground, she tried to excuse herself. "I was  _just_ making sure High Acolyte Diana over here wasn't hurt-"

"Radiant Dawn, we both know that is all sheer humbug and I will have none of it." Sekhet answered, cutting her off. "You ran away from Hanif's lessons."

"On my defense-"

"You have no defense."

Leona arched an eyebrow, still trying to talk her way out of it. "How come you dare disrespect your Chosen One's will?"

Mistress Sekhet looked at her with a bored look as she raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms in front of her. "Darling, I'd advice not to use that card against me; it has no effect. Now, let's go." Sekhet said as she began to move towards the temple, Diana falling into step next to her as Leona groaned and followed suit.

After a couple of steps, the Elder talked again, "Would you tell me why you ran from Hanif, Radiant Dawn?"

Leona looked down at her feet as she walked, her expression somber. "I…" She tried to find an excuse, but all of them sounded too  _against_  their religion.

Luckily for her, Diana intervened, taking Sekhet's hand so as to call her attention. "Mistress," She whispered to her ear, although Leona could still hear her. "Would you listen to my advice?" Sekhet eyed her curiously, giving the girl space to go on. "Let it be a secret between us if you wish so, but our Chosen One would rather you called her by her name." Diana looked at Mistress Sekhet, who rose her eyebrows at the acolyte's advice. "And, between you and I," Diana added, grimacing a bit. "Leona is not too fond of Hanif's exaggerated  _passion_  for his role as a teacher, if you know what I mean." She finished, pulling away from Sekhet and releasing her hand, giving her a look of discomfort at the thought of the excited scholar.

All while Leona looked away, pretending not to have heard it all, a thankful smile on her lips.  _Guess I also have someone standing up for me._

Mistress Sekhet's expression was one of surprise.  _I see,_  she mouthed at Diana. Then, while none of the girls who flanked her was looking, the Elder let her eyes go from one to the other, their seemingly quick and, dare she say it, somewhat personal trust in each other making her think.

A sly smile formed on her lips.

"Leona," She began, making the girl's eyes snap towards her, pleasantly surprise that she had actually listened to Diana's piece of advice. "May I ask you something?"

"By all means." She smiled brightly at the woman.

"What do you think of High Acolyte Diana?" Sekhet said, making both Leona and Diana's eyebrows shoot up to their hairlines.

"What, what do you mean?" Asked a confused Leona.

"You saw how skilled she was out there, fighting Armin, right?"

"Yes…?"

"Did you know she's also  _very_  smart, even more so than Hanif?" Sekhet said, looking at Diana excitedly.

"Mistress…?" Diana added, unable to catch up with her Elder's train of thought.

"Ah, Diana, don't be humble." She said, leaving both girls even more confused. "You  _know_  it's true. Being the Chosen One, I think Leona should know about your skills."

"What are you planning, Mistress?" Diana inquired, knowing her Mistress well enough that she knew she was after something, a goal on her mind.

Sekhet shrugged. "Nothing in particular, my dear, I'm just thinking out loud…" She said, looking ahead again as they made it through the eastern entrance to the temple. The Elder saw Eos and two other Elders approach them as she said, low enough so that only the two girls could hear, "What a shame that she has to go, right, Leona?" She looked at the auburn haired girl, complicity shining in her blackish eyes.

She almost sighed in relief when she saw Leona's look of understanding, only stifling her reaction because her colleagues had reached them.

"Elder Sekhet!" Eos said, knowing she disliked being called an Elder like them, but aware of the fact that she could do nothing to stop them from doing so. "What is this that I've heard of Acolyte Armin that High Acolyte Diana had striked him?" He looked at Diana with fury in his eyes.

"Armin pursued Diana just to attack her.  _My_ student just responded to his offenses." She said, protecting the girl from his accusations. "If someone were to be punished, it's  _him,_ I'll gladly think of his punishment if you wish to go on with-"

"I think we should just leave it be." He cut her off, annoyed at the woman's triumph. Then, he remembered something, so he smiled cruelly. "Besides, she's about to leave. What difference would it make?"

Sekhet looked at him with a bored expression. "Right."

"High Acolyte," He said to Diana, making her square her shoulders. "The Ra-Horak Commander will be here soon, go and fetch your belongings."

Diana bowed her head, sadness on her eyes. "Yes, Elder Eos."

She didn't make it more than three steps away when Leona intervened. "High Acolyte, stop right there." Diana halted, obeying her order but unsure of what to do. "Now, come here." Leona said, making the raven haired girl turn and return to them.

"Chosen One?" Elder Eos asked, having just recognized Leona under her makeshift hood. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be with Hanif for your lessons."

Leona had the nerve to imitate Sekhet's bored expression, amusing the woman. "Morning blessings to you too, Elder Eos." She said, making the man blush with embarrassment at his lack of greeting for her. "High Acolyte Hanif…" She said, pretending to be at a loss for words due to disappointment at the boy, when in reality it was just that she was trying to come up with an excuse that didn't end up with harm coming the boy's way.

_In the end, it's not his fault that I don't want him as a teacher._

"The Radiant Dawn was informing me of her discontent with High Acolyte Hanif as her mentor." Sekhet intervened, saving Leona's back. "He simply happens to be a good student, but a bad teacher; he doesn't know how to pass his knowledge to someone who is not as naturally devoted to our religion as us."

"Are you calling the Chosen One heretic?" Eos said, trying to hold on to something that could serve him to incriminate Sekhet.

"She simply tries to say that I'm not as passionate as all of you," She then smirked, knowing exactly what she had to say. "For my real passion lies in the art of battle." Her last words made Diana look at her, the Solari not understanding her at all, for what she was saying didn't match what Leona had told her the day before.

"As you see, Elder Eos," Sekhet continued from Leona's words. "The Radiant Dawn should be guided by someone who can mold themselves to her needs; someone who can turn that passion for battle into passion for the Sun and we all know Hanif is definitely not  _gracious_  enough in the martial arts."

"Apart from that," Leona went on, a smart-ass look on her face. "Being a Ra-Horak implies that I'm top tier in what involves fighting and, for that to remain that way, I will need a sparring partner who can actually keep up with me and even present a challenge."

"Armin can-"

"Armin has proved today that he's an awful fighter, Eos." Sekhet said, her eyes wandering to Diana. "That, or that High Acolyte Diana is an insanely skilled one, for she beat him without breaking a sweat."

"And, judging by her departure with Commander Khait," Leona added, talking about her former master. "It would seem that it's more of the latter."

Elder Eos began to see where this all was headed, but he refused to believe it, so he let his impatience get the best of him as he asked, "What do you two mean?"

"Both Mistress Sekhet and I firmly believe that she should be the one to teach me the way of the Sun instead of Hanif. Being Diana a High Acolyte, I am well aware of her full knowledge of the Solari religion. Moreover, if she is to join the Ra-Horak ranks, that means that she also has a high level of expertise in combat, which is exactly what a sparring partner would need to properly represent a challenge when facing me and we all know I  _need_ a sparring partner, for if not, I'd lose my physical conditions and I would not be able to be the Sun's protector as I am meant to be." Leona said, her chin high, her shoulders squared, a smug look on her face.

The Sun's Champion tried not to look at Diana, for she knew the girl's jaw was almost on the floor.

Elder Eos looked at her with the same expression, though. "But Chosen One, she's-"

"Are you trying to go against the Sun's Chosen One's word, Eos?" Sekhet asked, doing exactly the same thing he tried to do when he had blamed her of heresy.

He looked at her with fury in his eyes. "I would never-"

"Then it's settled." Leona said, smiling at them. She looked at Diana then, trying not to laugh at the girl's dumbfounded look. "High Acolyte Diana will serve me as my mentor."

Leona didn't let her eyes waver from Diana's as Elder Eos and those who accompanied him left in anger. Mistress Sekhet laughed, her voice a low rumble. She placed a hand on Leona's shoulder. "Well played, Leona. I'll go and inform Helena of our little victory."

She smiled at the Elder. "You too, Mistress." She saw Sekhet mouth a  _thank you_  as she left.

Once they were alone again, the warrior approached Diana, who's jaw was still on the floor. "Well? What do you think?"

Diana began to slowly shake her head. "I think that your cheekiness will get me killed." Leona laughed at Diana's exaggeration.

"I would never let that happen, I promise I'll protect you. Besides," Leona shrugged. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Diana laughed as she slowly came out of her shocked state. "Am I to stay here out of the Chosen One's little whim?"

"Yes." Leona said, smiling. "I refuse to let you go to that slaughterhouse I used to call home."

Diana began to walk to the temple's heart, letting her pace be slow as Leona walked alongside her. "Is it that you wanted to save me from the Ra-Horak or perhaps there's something else serving as your real motive?"

"Okay, you got me." Leona said, raising her hands in surrender. "There's something else." She smiled at Diana, finding herself unable not to do so.

"What is it?" The Solari smiled back just as much.

"I want you to stay with me. Would you do that for me?"

Diana pretended to think about it. "I don't know… Is it Leona's will or the Sun's will?"

"Which one would make you say yes?"

Diana laughed, looking away from the warrior. "At this point?"

Leona nodded, realizing she actually did care about the answer.

And the answer didn't disappoint her when Diana said, "Both."


	6. Chapter 6

She didn't even try to fight the smile that grew on her face. "Both?"

Diana nodded, glancing at Leona from the corner of her eye. "That's right. In fact, I'll confess to you," She said, approaching the warrior's ear and suppressing a smirk. "I think Leona's will is more important for me than the Sun's." She pulled away, finally looking at Leona in the eye. "But don't ever tell anyone I said that or I'd be accused of heresy."

Leona laughed at Diana's words. "Your secret is safe with me,  _miscreant."_  Leona had a playful grin on her face, her words meaning no harm for the other girl.

And perhaps it was that playful smile, the mirth shining in those golden eyes, or the gleeful tone in the Chosen's voice… Whatever it was, Diana knew, feeling it deep inside that she had spoken truthfully.

Leona was more important for her than any Chosen of the Sun.

_Thankfully they're the same person._

_How did I grow so fond of her in such short notice?_

The answer she did not have, but it's not like it worried her too much. What mattered was that she could  _stay_  in the temple, with Helena and Sekhet… And now, with Leona, too.

She was suddenly reminded that it also meant having to face the Elders every day when they bumped into Elder Kieran, who was Eos' right hand. To say he looked displeased with only the sight of her would be an understatement.

"High Acolyte Diana." He said as a greeting in a high pitched, monotone voice, then his eyes wandered to Leona and he bowed, a sudden change in his demeanor. "Morning blessings, Chosen."

Nonetheless, Diana bowed, having learned that good manners could be the best of weapons. "Morning blessings, Elder Kieran." Leona simply nodded. The old man directed his gaze to Diana once more.

"You are required in the ceremony room; you must go there now."

Diana nodded. "Right away."

The elder then looked at Leona. "Chosen One, in the lights of recent change of plans regarding your mentor, the crowning ceremony has been delayed one day and your training shall begin tomorrow, so you're free for today." He bowed again, moving awkwardly.

Leona smiled at him. "Thank you, Elder Kieran. I'll accompany my mentor to her meeting in the ceremony room, if that's not too troubling."

The man became nervous all of a sudden. "But Chosen, it is not necessary for you to go with her, she can do it all by herself."

"I know that. I simply feel like keeping her company. Is that inconvenient for some reason?" She questioned with that gentle tone of hers, making the man shake his head.

"Not at all." Though his tone carried a special tinge, like a child who's surrendered to the fact that he's about to be caught in his mischiefs.

Leona smiled brightly at him. "I'm glad to hear that. Morning blessings to you." She said, bowing her head a bit, surprising Kieran for he never thought he'd have the Chosen One bowing in front of him. Leona began walking once more then, Diana following her pace.

"Leona you'll get me in so much trouble, I swear by the light." She muttered to her… her friend. Diana realized she already saw Leona as a friend.

_A far more problematic friend than Helena, that's for sure._

"I'll get you  _out_ of it, relax. Besides," Leona whispered back, a tiny smirk on her face. "It was  _me_  who got you in this one, for I'm sure this has something to do with you staying here instead of leaving, so it's my duty to take responsibility for it."

Diana shook her head. "You're the Chosen of the Sun, Leo, there's no way they'll move a finger against you. If anything, they'll punish me harder." She said as she grimaced, already thinking of the punishments that were coming her way.

Leona was entertained by something else she said, though. " _Leo?"_ She smiled broadly at Diana, who blushed a bit under her stare.

"Uh, yeah, sorry, I-"

"I like it."

"Oh?"

"If you call me Leo, can I call you Di like Helena does?"

"You can call me whatever you want." Diana blurted out without thinking, her blush getting redder at the sight of Leona's smirk widening.

"Is that so?"

"No, I lied." Diana retorted, suddenly nervous. Leona simply laughed.

"And here I was, thinking I could call you Di when I'm in a good mood and  _gremlin_  when I'm not." She said, making Diana laugh a bit, giving her room to relax.

"Are you ever in a foul mood, though?" She questioned, arching an eyebrow at Leona, who simply smiled at her.

"Not when I'm with you."

Diana looked away from the girl if only to hide her smile.

Leona saw it, anyway.

The rest of their walk towards the ceremony room was silent, a comfortable quietness stretching between them. Said comfort was gone, though, as soon as they opened the doors only to be met with the icy stares of almost all of the Elders. Diana's eyes wandered to a big, muscular man who was standing in front of Elder Eos, his eyes not leaving her figure.

She heard Leona groan. "That's Commander Khait." She whispered to Diana, as if sensing the girl's uncertainty regarding who he was.

Commander Khait was a tall man, with hair almost as dark as hers and eyes as black as Mistress Sekhet's. He had a scar over one his right eye and wore the Ra-Horak armor with pride. With him were some of his guards, men and women of the same warrior tribe who served as his inner circle; the people he trusted the most.

He walked towards them and Diana felt Leona inflate her chest.

Somehow she knew it was not out of pride or anything other than a  _challenge_  for the man.

When he reached them, his eyes going from Diana to Leona, he smiled, a vicious thing on his face. He bowed very low. "Chosen of the Sun."

"Commander of the Ra-Horak." Leona said as a response, her eyes alight but her tone as respectful as she always was.

"I've been informed I'm not allowed to take this scholar with me," He said, pointing at Diana. "May I ask  _you_ why?"

Leona smiled. "First, Commander Khait, I must let you know this scholar's name is Diana." Leona said, placing a hand on Diana's back.

The raven haired girl bowed in greeting. "Morning blessings, Commander Khait." Khait nodded, greeting her, then looking at Leona once more.

"Second, Diana is to stay in the Solari temple, for I need a mentor and she happens to be the best choice."

"I was promised a skillful Solari would accompany me back to the camp." He said, as if stating the problem to which Leona offered no solution.

Leona thought for a moment her words. She was used to arguing with Commander Khait as much as Diana was used to arguing with Elder Eos. Only difference was that, where Diana's arguments ended with Sekhet saving her or Eos punishing her, Leona's arguments usually would end with Commander Khait forcing her to defend herself with her fists; it was the first time she'd have a verbal battle with him that would not end in a bloodshed.

It was the first time she didn't feel powerless against him.

So she opened up her mouth and spoke her mind. "You're right. Diana is a skillful Solari indeed, but her skills are far better exploited here, with me, than with the Ra-Horak. I'm truly sorry, Commander, but that is the truth."

Khait looked slightly annoyed, probably due to the fact that Leona didn't look sorry at all. "Well, I'm not leaving without a new soldier for my ranks. Consider it an exchange: A warrior turned scholar for a scholar turned warrior. I gave the Solari my best warrior, I demand someone just as good back."

Leona raised her brows. "I never knew you thought so highly of me."

Khait clicked his tongue. "Do not lie, Leona, you  _knew._  But you would never follow our traditions and that makes you a shitty soldier."

Some of the Elders began to talk among them, disapproving Khait's words for the Radiant Dawn. Before anyone alerted the Solari guards posted all over the room –and before Khait's own guards decided they had to protect their Commander –Eos approached him with a piece of advice. "Commander Khait, I think it's in everyone's best interests that you don't speak like that to the Chosen of the Sun. You should always treat her with respect."

Commander Khait glanced at him, then back at Leona. "Elder Eos, before she was your Chosen, she was my warrior. If she feels I've disrespected her, she can tell me so herself." He smirked. "Have I done so?"

Leona smirked back. "Not at all, Commander." There was a certain bond between them that she knew she'd never be able to shake, no matter how much she disagreed with his point of view in terms of life and death.

"Now that's been cleared, what do we do, Leona?" He questioned as he began pacing in front of her and Diana. "I came all this way just to go back empty handed?"

Leona frowned in concentration, inquiring, "I'm sure you could always take another scholar with you. Someone who's as skilled as Diana."

Commander Khait halted, looking at Leona, then at Elder Eos. "What do you say?"

"If that's the Chosen's will and it compensates you for your troubles, then so be it." He was about to say something else, but Khait ignored him completely, letting his eyes go back to the girls in front of him. More specifically, to Diana.

"Girl, if you had to choose someone to replace you, who would it be?" He asked her. Elder Eos tried to say something, but the Commander cut him off. "I'm talking to the Acolyte." He said, his eyes never leaving Diana's. "If somebody in here knows who the best is, I'm sure it's her."

Diana frowned, deep in thought. "There are many scholars who can fight just as well as me."

"Yes, but who should come with me? Who would make a great Ra-Horak?"

Diana looked into his eyes, pondering on his words for a moment. Being a Ra-Horak meant being a warrior capable of handling any kind of situation one might encounter in a battlefield with enough expertise. Everyone who was part of the Rakkor people knew that, just like it was obvious that being a Solari meant being more devoted to their religion than the rest of their people, whether they were part of the Ra-Horak soldiers or just common Rakkorians.

Then Diana let her eyes wander to Leona's, which were staring back at her, expectantly. Being a Ra-Horak also meant knowing how to be merciless, ruthless, vicious. Having a zeal for battle that some would find barbaric, atrocious even.

So she knew exactly who Khait should take with him. "I recommend you take Acolyte Armin with you." Upon the confused look Leona was regarding her with due to her knowledge of how lacking that scholar was in terms of fighting, and the look of anger that Eos was giving her as he was about to intervene, she explained her choice. "I will not lie to you, Commander Khait: this Solari I'm talking about is not as gracious in battle as you may think, but he has a passion for fighting that anyone can appreciate. He will find it easy to adapt to your lifestyle and your traditions. You'll have to train him hard if you want him to become the perfect soldier, but I'm positive he'll be a true Ra-Horak in no time."

The room fell silent as Commander Khait thought, his eyes lost, his hand on his chin. After a moment, he looked at Diana and smirked. "You know, now I see why Leona wants you to stay." Diana arched an eyebrow at him while Leona looked away. "You're smart. Too intelligent. She's always liked that." He huffed a laugh, no malice in his behavior. "Brains over brawl, though I'm sure you'll give her just as much of a battle with your hands as with your words." He let his eyes dart to Leona for a second, smirking when he saw the girl blushing. He patted Diana on the shoulder, preventing the girl from following his gaze as he called her attention, saying. "Very well, Diana, I'll follow your advice. I hope this Armin boy doesn't disappoint me."

Diana smiled. "He will, at first." Khait huffed a laugh at her words.

"Honesty is the best policy." He said, voicing his thoughts. He then patted Leona's shoulder then as he had done to Diana. "It is decided, then." He turned and approached the Elders. "Bring me my new warrior."

Elder Eos was at a loss for words, uncertain of how to prevent Khait from taking his own protégé. "But Commander-"

"Elder Eos, Leona was sentenced to death for her disrespect towards the Ra-Horak traditions." Khait began, cutting Eos off. "I understand that our Goddess has protected her from death just as much as I understand that I wasn't really under any obligation to spare her from her trial and let her abandon our tribe just to let her become a fully devoted Solari." Khait began to circle Eos, as if sizing him. "We, as Ra-Horak, adore the Sun just like you, but we were born to fight, to battle, to serve the Rakkor with our bodies, while you were all born to guide our people to the sunlight, serve them with your minds." He stated, halting his movements, coming face to face with Eos. "For every Ra-Horak who turns into a Solari, the Rakkor win scholars, but lose fighters."

Khait took a step towards Eos and, as the Solari guards prepared their weapons and Khait's own personal followers drew theirs, Diana and Leona both held their breath. Nevertheless, the Commander remained calm, his eyes never leaving Eos'.

"We are the people of the last Sun, Eos. If no one can fight against the darkness, who will protect the last light?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Certainly not some people with scrolls. Sure, Leona may be the Chosen of the Sun, but not even her with the Sun's help can defeat the Moon by herself." He leaned in a bit, looking intimidating, yet remaining as calm as ever. "She'll need her sacred army and we happen to be said sacred army. We need to keep our numbers up, though."

Eos opened his mouth, Khait letting him speak. "Armin is my personal student."

"What a coincidence," Khait said, smiling. "Leona used to be mine." Eos shook his head, unable to believe it. "We had a deal, Eos. I'd allow for you to take Leona in exchange of a promising warrior."

Eos lowered his head a bit, his expression grim. After a moment of silence, he spoke, "If you must take him, I'll allow it to happen, but under one condition."

Khait was getting tired of Eos. "What is it?"

Eos eyes narrowed a bit and he tried to conceal it, but Khait saw it either way. "I'll let you know once we're alone."

The Commander's brows furrowed in confusion, intrigue for whatever Eos wanted spiking his curiosity. "As long as he's mine, so be it." He took a step backwards and offered the Elder his hand, who shook it reluctantly, their deal making everyone in the room calm down, sheathing their blades and letting their shoulders sag in relief.

Commander Khait stood in front of his guards. "We're leaving." As soon as he said that, they all stood in attention, saluted and walked towards the main door. Khait looked at Eos. "Walk with me." He said, as Eos sent one of the Solari guards to look for Armin.

Khait and Eos made their way to the entrance, walking past Diana and Leona. Eos took that moment to look at her and say, "You're not dismissed yet." Then, they were gone.

Diana stared after the two men as Leona looked at her with curiosity. "Armin?" She asked, making the raven haired girl look at her. "Out of all people?"

She nodded. "I think he fits that life. He's not a good fighter but he has their spirit."

They felt someone walking towards them and both faced Mistress Sekhet as she halted to a stop a few feet from them. "First, you show that kid who runs this Temple. Now, you send him off with the Ra-Horak." She said as she shook her head in disbelief. "Diana, you just keep giving me reasons to adore you." She smiled, glancing at Leona. "She's my favorite, in case you haven't noticed."

Leona laughed as she nodded. "I think I did. What I didn't know is that you disliked Armin."

"He thinks he's above everything and everyone just because he's Eos' favorite." Sekhet's eyes narrowed. "He's an insolent kid who needs to learn some discipline." A smile grew on her face as she said, "And he will, now. But that's not what I wanted to say." She looked at Diana. "Darling, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Whatever you need, Mistress."

"It's silly, really, but it'd make me very happy." She had a sly smile on her face. "I want you to keep wearing those robes." She pointed at the Ra-Horak apprentice's uniform. "Train our Chosen with that on."

Diana arched an eyebrow. "I guess I can do that, though I don't understand why you would ask that of me, Mistress."

"Because it's going to be a constant slap on Eos' face." Sekhet said as a shit-eating grin grew on her face, making Leona snort and Diana sigh. "If he ever says anything about it, you'll say I ordered you to wear it. Let him come to me if he has a problem." Sekhet added at the sound of Diana's lament.

"I don't know who'll get me killed first: if  _this one_ ," Diana said, pointing at Leona with her thumb, "Or you." She directed her last words at Sekhet.

The woman was about to retort, something clever seemingly ready on the tip of her tongue, when the doors opened once more, an angry Eos entering the room with Kieran following him closely.

Now that all the Elders were in the room, Eos, being the head of the council, called for them to sit at their table and asked Diana to approach them, a stern look on his face.

The Solari exhaled slowly and walked towards the Elders' table, kneeling in front of them and bowing her head, as Leona remained to a side, watching it all, her soldier's focus intense on Diana and Eos.

"High Acolyte Diana." Eos began, the anger on his face not matching the calmness of his voice. "Due to the personal request made by the Radiant Dawn herself, you are now given the honor of guiding her towards the path of the Sun. Are you aware of this?" He asked her, even though he already knew the answer.

Diana simply nodded. "Yes, my Elder." She said, answering in the fashion that was necessary due to rules and traditions.

"To be honored in such way… To be given the opportunity to train the Chosen… No, wait," Eos said, backtracking on his own words. "To be  _pursued_  by the Chosen One herself… It's the biggest honor anyone in the Solari religion can have, did you know this?"

"Yes, my Elder."

"Such responsibilities, though, carry their risks. Are you aware of this too, High Acolyte?" His eyes narrowed on Diana.

The girl closed her eyes, but nodded nonetheless. "Yes, my Elder."

"The biggest risks, the most dangerous ones, are laid in the path of bad mentors; those who lack what it's needed, those who don't know how to teach, those who  _fail_  in turning the Chosen One into the path of the light. Hanif had his life spared by the Chosen One when she chose you to guide her, were you aware?"

Diana nodded, still as tranquil as when he began speaking. "Yes, my Elder."

"And how is it that you know all of this, Acolyte?" He questioned, again knowing the answer, seemingly playing a little, twisted game.

"We, as High Acolytes, are required to know the whole history of each of the Champions the Sun has chosen so far. We also must know how they were brought into the light by our ancestors and how the Sun's Avatar must prepare for their crowning ceremony, along with the consequences an inferior mentor would face."

Eos sat back on his chair, his eyes still on Diana, a hand on his chin. "Tell me about those consequences. Aging has made me forget some." He pointedly ignored Mistress Sekhet's huff of annoyance at him.

Diana began reciting a text she had learned by heart a long time ago. "For a week, the Sun's Avatar must be trained in the arts and knowledge of our religion, learning the words they must recite during the crowning ceremony in order to be crowned as the rightful leader of the Solari, achieve full enlightenment and receive the Sun's grace, being permitted to wield the Shield of Daybreak, the Zenith Blade and the Golden Armor of the Solari."

Eos remained silent for a moment, merely watching Diana. Then, he opened his mouth, "Stand up, High Acolyte." Diana did so, letting herself look at him in the eye. "I want you to tell me the  _consequences_  you will face if the Chosen One were not ready for her crowning ceremony in a week."

Diana's expression was one of calm concentration. She squared her shoulders, standing as straight and as tall as possible, then began speaking again. "I must teach the Chosen One everything she needs to know in a matter of a week. For every day that I demonstrate incompetence, I'm to be flogged fifty times under the midday Sun, for our Goddess to see and judge me accordingly."

She didn't let her gaze waver from Eos' eyes, which shone with malice, as she said her words, for she knew Leona was now looking at her, probably horrified at what she might face due to the girl's whims. "Lastly, if the Chosen One were not to know how to properly carry out the crowning ceremony, I'm to be executed at noon by the Sun's molten flames, for the Sun's eternal glory."

The room was so silent that Diana swore she could hear a fly's wings. Nonetheless she remained, still standing still, looking at Eos in his eyes, her expression neutral, one which showed her calm, focused determination, the one which she knew she had and he hated her for having.

She wouldn't look away, for she knew he'd take that as fear for her new task and fear was the last thing she felt.

She wouldn't look away, for it meant looking at Leona and she was aware that, where she had a look of tranquility, Leona probably had one of desperation, feeling guilty about having basically sentenced Diana to death. Even Mistress Sekhet, who was aware of how the crowning ceremony went, had a look of nervousness, her eyes darting between Eos and Diana.

"The life of a sinner, who would not bring the Avatar of the Sun towards our Goddess' glory and into the light, as the price to pay in order for the Sun's Champion to be forgiven by their lacking competence and thus given their crown either way." Eos said, reciting the last part for Diana. He leaned forward in his seat. "I will take it you understand what's at stake, then, were you to fail in your mission?"

Diana nodded. "Yes, my Elder."

He smiled, cruelly, when he said, "And how does that make you feel? What do you think about it?"

But Diana wouldn't be the one to fold. She let her eyes go to Leona, who looked at her with sorrow, her following words meant for the warrior if only to soothe her. "I can feel my chest be filled with nothing but pride for being chosen by the Sun's Avatar for this task." Her eyes went back to Eos, then. "And if I must lay down my life, then so be it, for her glory."

Eos nodded slowly, still concentrated on her face. "For her glory, indeed. Well then," he said, idly inspecting his hands for a second. "You're dismissed. Tomorrow at dawn you must begin the Chosen's training. Understood?"

Diana nodded. "Yes, my Elder. The glory of the Sun be with you." She said as a salute as she turned, walking towards the door. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Leona approaching her.

It wasn't until they were out of the room that Leona finally reached Diana, her expression one of desperation. "Diana, I'm so sorry, I didn't-"

Diana placed a hand on Leona's shoulder, silencing the girl. She nodded her head in the hallway's direction and the warrior seemed to understand what Diana wanted to say.  _Not here._

Leona was at a loss, though, still in the shocked silence this new information had stunned her into.

So Diana exhaled through her nose slowly and, still in her tranquil state, grabbed Leona's hand in hers, guiding her. "I didn't show you my secret spot in the bad tour I gave you, did I?" When Leona didn't respond, Diana looked back at her, tugging at her hand. "Hm?"

Leona's eyes darted to their entwined hands, then back at Diana's eyes. "No, you didn't"

The warrior's eyes remained on Diana's lips as the girl smiled at her. "Come on, then. You'll like it."

Leona let herself be guided by Diana, who took the both of them to the eastern entrance to the temple in no time, walking out of the temple and into the forest. For a moment, Leona thought the Solari was taking her to the little stream, but then Diana took a sharp right, getting them lost inside the bushy forest.

The warrior's eyes followed every movement Diana made, from the way her legs nimbly navigated through the roots and branches to her hands, one of them ahead of her, the one Diana used to keep the leaves away from her.

The other was still holding Leona's with a steely grip, refusing to let go.

Their path began to rise, turning into a steep, upward slope. They kept walking the afternoon Sun hot through the trees' leaves.

They walked up for a bit until they left the trees behind, hitting a clearing. "We're here." Diana said, smiling back at Leona, releasing the girl's hand so as to encourage her to see her hiding spot.

It was a cliff above the forest, where one could see the whole expanse of the forest, the Temple to the cliff's left and the Sun up above them, shining brightly.

Leona slowly walked for a bit around the clearing, watching it all, as Diana extended her arms to her sides, as if showing her the whole place. "This is my little secret, even more private than my…" She trailed off, unsure of how to word it. "…My  _curiosity_  for the Moon." She finished, realizing just now how  _weird_  it was for her to finally say something like that out loud without filtering her words, her thoughts.

It was a breath of fresh air.

Leona stood by the cliff, her toes almost in the air. She looked down at the forest, then up at the sky. "It's beautiful," she said, turning around and facing Diana, uncaring for the precipice behind her. There was a little smile on her face. "It truly is, Di."

Diana smiled broadly, slowly making her way towards Leona. "I usually come here when I need time on my own."

"Not the tiny stream somewhere down there?"

Diana shook her head. "Almost every Solari knows of its' existence, but only I know about this place. Well," she said, shrugging as she thought about it twice. "Only  _you_  and I, now."

"Why are you showing me this?"

"Because, judging by the look on your face, you needed to get your mind off the awful stress the Elders can sometimes represent." She finally reached Leona, standing right in front of her. "You needed something pretty to ease your mind, so here we are." She allowed her eyes to dart towards the forest underneath them. "A pretty view to soothe a warrior's heart."

Leona's gaze wasn't leaving her eyes, though, as her expression fell a bit. "I'm really sorry, Diana. I never knew I was getting you into such trouble."

Diana shook her head, smiling at Leona. "Well, I told you that you would give me nothing but problems." When she saw Leona's face turn even somber, she reacted automatically, her hands gently going to Leona's cheeks. "Hey," She said, as she lifted the warrior's face a bit, making Leona look at her in the eyes again. "There's nothing to worry about, really. Nothing to be sorry about, either."

Her hands moved to Leona's jaw, her thumbs caressing the girl. "It's thanks to you that I get to stay here with the people who've helped me turn this temple into my home instead of leaving to turn into a killer. I don't want you ever regretting doing that, for that would mean the good things you've done for me weren't on purpose, but by accident." Diana inclined her head to a side. "And that would mean you were good to me by accident, too." She frowned a bit, a playful gleam in her eyes. "I'd like to believe you're nice with me because you like me enough."

"I like you more than enough." Leona quickly said, refusing to let the girl believe otherwise.

Diana smiled. "Then don't be sorry."

"But Diana-"

"I'll have none of it, Leona." She said instantly.

Leona was about to protest but, after a narrow-eyed, stern look from Diana, she shut her mouth, letting her head hang dramatically, letting out an exaggerated sigh. She peeked at Diana, looking up at her from her position. "I think I miss the time when my mere presence intimidated you."

Diana smiled, arching an eyebrow. "Already?" Leona smiled back, but a concerned look began to eclipse it. As Diana's hands were still on her face, the girl rubbed the warrior's cheekbone. "Would you care to listen if I told you something?"

Leona's eyes rested on Diana's, the warrior letting her head rest on the girl's hands. The curious nature she had made her remain quiet, her stare so intense that Diana began to feel self-conscious, so she went on with it.

"Some days ago, Helena was telling me about this rumor that was going on, that the Sun had chosen her Avatar. I didn't believe her and, when I did, I didn't particularly care about it, if I'm honest with you. I believed it was all just that: a rumor." Diana's eyes scanned Leona's face as the warrior remained in her focused trance. "And now that I have you here, in front of me, now that I see you and know a little of who you are, of who Leona is... Fuck formalities, I already know you are the Chosen One, I can feel it in my bones, my very soul." A sad smile grew on her face. "I now have a question for you: if I could overcome my doubts and believe in you, why can't you do so yourself?" Her stare was intense as Leona's. "Why don't you have a little faith in yourself? It's all that takes, really."

The warrior thought about it as she studied Diana's face, her fear making her look for any sign of doubt, of terror at her possible future, but she found none. Instead, she found a calm, peaceful demeanor.

It made her realize that this girl's life was in her hands and yet here she was, trusting her blindly, completely confident that there was nothing to be worried about.

Diana felt the need to say it, though. "If I can do it, what keeps you away from doing it, too?"

Leona sighed. "I don't want to put your life in risk, I guess."

Diana arched an eyebrow. "Do you really think me to be such a bad teacher that I won't be able to make a Solari out of you?"

Leona closed her eyes for a moment, smiling. "It's not that, Di." She let herself look into Diana's azure eyes. "But all my life I've had it like this: everything and everyone against me." She looked away, though she refused to move much, in fear of making Diana pull away. "Back in the tribe, it was different. Perhaps I didn't have much of a choice or a voice, but it always went back to fighting and there I could always defend myself with everything I knew. Here, it's different: a new place with a new game and I don't know the rules we're playing by. Every step I've taken so far has just brought harm and risks to you. How can I protect myself and those I love if I don't know the rules?" She said, finally voicing her frustrations.

Diana thought about Leona's words for a moment, her intent on soothing her woes making her ignore how fond of her Leona seemed to be. "That's the problem. You see, you want to know the rules that we all play by, when you are basically a game changer, Leo." When Leona raised a brow in confusion, she added, "You're the Sun's Avatar, you're above the game itself. Sure, the council of the Elders is there to restrain you, but even they cannot stop you." She smirked. "You have it easier than you did back with the Ra-Horak, really."

Leona nodded. "I guess you may be right."

" _Maybe?_  No. I  _am_ right." Diana then smirked, a smart ass expression on her face. "I always am." She let go of Leona as the warrior laughed.

"We've got those airs already?"

"You'll soon learn how much truth hides behind that statement."

Leona arched an eyebrow. "Will I?"

"You'd better, because if not, you'll learn how much time it takes to incinerate a person." Diana said, laughing at her own dark humor, only quieting down once she realized Leona was not laughing.  _Too soon._ "Relax, Leo, it's not like this is the first time I've been threatened with being executed, you know?"

Leona looked at her incredulously. "What?"

"What you heard."

"You're joking." She said, but Diana simply shook her head.

"Eos has had it with me for a long time already. Every time he's heard about my nocturne studies, he's tried to  _finally bring me to the light."_ She said, using air quotations as she repeated what he had said to her so many times. "I've got out of every attempt at executing me only because there's never been enough evidence to prove that I was studying the Moon."

Leona frowned. "How is that possible?"

Diana had a shit eating grin on her face. "Everything I've found written in the common tongue has been borrowed from the library, so it's legit that I read it. The most…  _compromising_ texts? Those aren't written in our tongue, so he cannot actually say what those talk about."

Leona's eyes were wide. "Did you learn another language just to piss him off?" Diana nodded. "What a  _champion."_ Leona said, smiling at the girl, who laughed at her praises.

" ** _Innocent until proven guilty_** _._ " Diana said in the old Rakkor tongue, a language long extinct for the Solari, but not for the Ra-Horak, who used it to communicate while in battle without being understood by their enemies.

Leona hollered with laughter. " ** _The Old Rakkor_** _!"_ She said in the old language, her accent more fluid than Diana's, then switched back to the common tongue. "You actually managed to learn it all by yourself? It's impressive, really."

"Helena tried to learn it with me, but she gave up after her third attempt." Diana shrugged. "I used my imminent departure to the Ra-Horak tribe as an excuse to learn it and, since nobody but me knows it, nobody knows that the oldest texts are written in it, so I just have to pretend I don't understand the words and suddenly those texts are  _not_ written in Old Rakkor."

"I don't get how you've managed to get away with it for so long." Leona said, shaking her head in disbelief at the girl.

Diana grinned. "That's a secret that you'll find out only if it ever comes the day when I'm caught again." She shrugged then, changing the direction of their talk a bit. "So now you know that we can have secrets in public, we just have to  ** _switch languages_** _."_ She smiled, making Leona do so, too.

"That's going to come in handy more than once, you know?"

"You think?"

" ** _I do."_** She said, making Diana smile.

"Your accent is better than mine."

"I've had more practice. I'm sure that you can improve if you talk with me." Leona said, giving a tiny step forward, suddenly aware of how close they were to the precipice.

Diana stood her ground, though, making the space between them minimize. "Would you like to have your lessons in the Old Rakkor?" She questioned, entertaining the idea of trying to speak in the difficult tongue for as long as she could.

"I'll have my lessons whatever way my teacher wants me to." Leona said lowly as she smiled, too comfortable with the girl, her mind too entertained to realize what she had said and the tone she had given it had made Diana blush, her self-consciousness kicking in.

"Okay." Diana said as she turned, walking a few steps away from Leona. The warrior laughed and followed her, refusing to let the girl create a space between them.

"Diana," She said, calling the Solari's attention, making her turn to face her.

Then Leona brought her arms up, her face more serious than before, as she embraced the other, keeping her close.

"Thank you for putting up with me." She whispered. "All these changes have left me a bit defenseless, so it feels good to have someone finally standing up for me." She pulled away, looking into Diana's eyes. "I promise I'll be back on my feet in no time."

Diana's nerves melted away, the girl finding comfort in the other's arms. "You don't have to be strong all the time. Sometimes, you'll need to let your guard down." She smirked. "For those times, let me be your shield."

Leona's smile was brighter than the Sun. "My  _shield,_ not my  _sword._ It's as if you knew exactly what to say to make me adore you."

Diana laughed as she hugged Leona once more. "I got your back."

"Then I'll protect yours." Leona said, hugging the girl with all of her strength and lifting her from the ground. Diana could only laugh as Leona squeezed her.

"You'll leave me breathless!" Diana said in between her fits of laughter.

"Does that mean I'll have to carry you back to the temple?" Leona said, though she loosened her grip a bit, if only to let Diana breathe.

"I am perfectly capable of going back on my own." The girl retorted, trying to sound as serious as possible, though her attempts weren't very effective.

"Carrying you back it is, then!" Leona said as she lifted Diana higher, placing the girl on her shoulder as she began walking back as the Sun took her rightful position in the horizon, a beautifully orange sunset beginning to take place.

"Leona, stop!"

But the warrior simply laughed, her laughter a contagious thing as Diana began to laugh, too.


	7. Chapter 7

Diana was up by the break of dawn. She had to fight her grogginess, but still, she was up.

When was the last time she had gone to sleep early enough that she would wake up with the Sun? She couldn't remember as she stifled a yawn, her body moving on its' own accord, her mind still asleep.

She had wanted to stay up and watch the stars, but the nerves she felt regarding her new task forced her into bed early.

That was another thing. She was nervous. Why was she nervous?

She remembered the threat of death looming over her.  _Right. It must be that._

She was almost at Leona's door, the thundering sound of her heart jolting her awake. She walked the remaining steps towards it and knocked softly, then took a step back and waited.

Not a second passed that the door was already being open by the Radiant Dawn.

The Radiant Dawn, not Leona, for the girl had her signature smile on and Diana could have sworn she was  _shining_.

_Is this a thing the Avatar of the Sun does? The whole being shiny thing? Or am I just that asleep yet?_

"Good morning, Diana." Leona said, still on her threshold.

"Morning blessings, Leo." Diana said, yawning. "Though I believe it's still too early in the day to call this a  _morning."_

Leona made her way towards Diana, slowly, her hands behind her back. "Has someone stayed up last night?" She winked when she added, "Stargazing much?"

Diana tried not to snort at Leona's antics and shook her head. "I slept all night, though I'm starting to think that stargazing all night would have made waking up easier." When Leona arched an eyebrow in question, she added, "It's not that hard to stay awake if you never go to sleep."

Leona grinned. "Right." She looked at Diana's clothes, the same Ra-Horak uniform as yesterday. "I see you're following Mistress Sekhet's orders."

Diana inspected herself. "Yeah, I dislike Eos as much as her, so I'm always down to piss him off." Her eyes went back to Leona's, but Diana did a double take when she noticed the girl's robes were similar to hers. She smirked knowingly, "What's  _your_  excuse?"

Leona looked at her own clothes. Instead of the typical, white Solari tunic, she was wearing her own Ra-Horak robes which, were Diana's were made of linen, a bit of iron and leather, Leona's were made mostly of steel, leather being used only for her joints so as to provide mobility, linen being used for the inner part of her armor, so as to offer its' user comfort. Hers was the attire only the highest among the Ra-Horak could wear. "I actually have a reason to be dressed like this."

"Annoying Eos?" Diana said, arching an eyebrow.

Leona laughed as she shook her head. "No. I got my Sun robes on and-"

" _Sun_  robes?" Diana questioned, trying her best not to laugh and failing horribly.

"Hush!" Leona silenced her, a playful grin in her lips, continuing with her retelling. "They were too loose, I'd rather have something on that fits me like a glove, a second skin, you know what I mean?"

But Diana was too busy laughing, unable to believe Leona's silliness. " _Sun_  robes." She shook her head. "Amazing."

"They're not Solari robes!" Leona interrupted her laughter, blushing a bit at Diana's reaction. "Those are white." She tried to defend her choice of words, pointedly ignoring the burning stare she could feel on her crimson face. "Mine were kind of sand-like."

"Because the robes that you stole yesterday when you sneaked away from Hanif were apprentice's robes." Diana said, managing to rule over her amusement enough to talk, being merciful enough not to comment on Leona's reddish face. "The sand ones are the promised Chosen's robes."

"You Solari are so weird." Leona said, grimacing.

" _Us_  Solari." She corrected the girl.

"Not just yet." Leona smiled too sweetly at Diana. "You still have to turn me into one."

Diana rolled her eyes at Leona, but took her words as a cue to get to work. "Then let's get right to it." She turned to her left and motioned for Leona to follow her. "This way."

Leona fell into step right next to Diana as the girl walked her through the hallways. "Where are we headed to?"

Diana didn't answer as she eyed Leona with a smug look, opting to leave the Chosen of the Sun in the dark for a while. She saw Leona's eyes dart towards the hall and she turned her head just in time to see Elder Kieran, who was walking towards them, his mind seemingly elsewhere.

"Morning blessings, Elder Kieran." Diana said, calling his attention and making him jump a bit, his eyes darting to the two women.

Leona did her best to contain her laughter as the man tried to dissimulate the scare he got from the sudden greeting. "Morning blessings, acolyte." He bowed when he saw Leona, adding, "Morning blessings, Radiant Dawn." As the Avatar of the Sun bowed her head a bit, greeting him in the same fashion, Kieran took notice of their clothes and frowned.

"Is something the matter, Elder Kieran?" Diana inquired, actually feeling his stare, getting uncomfortable under it. His eyes grew in size at the sound of her voice as he gazed into her own and shook his head a bit.

"Not at all, acolyte, I'm just lost in my thoughts." He said, shrugging off the peculiar choice of attire both Diana and Leona had done. "I'll take it you're about to begin the Chosen One's training?" He said, changing the subject and letting his eyes go from Diana to Leona, watching the two girls nod almost at the same time.

"We were headed to the library, to begin from there." Diana said, looking at Leona, who had to restrain herself from groaning upon hearing her say the word  _library._

"Very well, then." Kieran said, nodding in approval. Then, he added, "Carry on." And left, leaving the girls alone.

They had just made it out of his hearing range when Leona stopped holding it in and let out the longest groan Diana had heard in a long time. "The library? Really?" The Ra-Horak complained.

Diana regarded her with a questioning look. "What did you expect?"

The auburn haired girl shrugged. "I don't know," She said, frowning. "I guess I expected something more…" She tried to locate the right word. "Physical."

It was Diana's turn to frown. " _Physical?"_

Leona nodded vigorously. "Yeah, like sparring. Part of the reason why you're staying in the Temple is because we were supposedly going to be sparring partners, you know?"

"I already know that."

"Then why does it surprise you so much that I thought we were going to fight?"

"Well, because  _you_  are turning into a Solari, not  _me_ into a Ra-Horak." Diana raised an eyebrow at Leona. "You have to learn the Sun's  _religion,_  not how to punch a hole through her."

Leona snorted at the image that popped into her mind at Diana's words: herself, punching the  _Sun,_  nonetheless. "Okay, okay." She said, shaking the image off of her head. "I apologize for being so naïve!" She let out dramatically, walking a few steps ahead of Diana and bowing exaggeratedly.

Diana rolled her eyes, but followed her game either way, saying, "No apologies needed. After all, as your mentor, it is my duty to de-troglodyte you." Her smile turned sly as Leona scoffed at her words.

"De- _troglodyte_ me? How dare you call me that!" Leona feigned being hurt by her words, the smile that she tried to hide saying otherwise.

They reached the library's doors and Diana opened them, letting Leona walk in first. She tried not to laugh at the warrior's expression: she looked completely lost, like a child without her mother.

"This way." Diana said, gently guiding Leona towards one of the big, empty tables. Leona sat down, her eyes not leaving Diana's figure, for the girl kept moving around the bookshelves with an expert's ease, her fingers barely grazing the books as she chose which one to use. She smirked triumphantly when she finally found the tome she needed, picking the book and taking it out of its' shelf.

"Found it." Diana said, as she turned and approached Leona, sitting next to her and showing her the big book.

Leona eyed it suspiciously, reading the cover. " _The Rakkorian Religion: Life and History of the Solari?"_ She kept the upcoming groan at bay as she glared at Diana, who pointedly ignored her stare as she opened the book, going to its' first page.

"Okay, let's begin, shall we?"

* * *

"Leo, come on, at least give it a try." Diana said, sighing at the stubborn warrior.

"I'm trying, Di, but I just simply suck at learning." Was all Leona could come up with as she melted into her seat, her head hanging over the backrest.

They had spent the whole morning in the library, Diana patiently explaining Solari history to Leona, but the warrior's mind was made of stone, apparently, for the raven haired girl's words just wouldn't get through.

The threat of death suddenly became a bit more real for Diana.  _You'd better not get me killed or my scorched ghost will be coming for your Chosen ass._

So she rubbed at her eyes with her thumb and index finger, as she thought of an alternative. "Nobody sucks at learning, Leona. Somehow, we all manage to learn our lessons."

"Well, seems I'm the exception to the rule."

"That's not true and you know it." Diana said with a no-nonsense expression on her face. "How come you're one of the best Ra-Horak out there if that were true?"

Leona sat up, thinking about it. "Well, it's not the same. We don't have this much to learn." She said, gesturing at the book, letting her fingers skim through the pages. "This is all just..." She sighed, not certain of how to continue her sentence. "I don't know."

Diana remained quiet for a moment, her focus on her thoughts as she concentrated on Leona. Then, she spoke, "How did you learn your lessons back in the camp?"

Leona looked at Diana, uncertain so as to where the girl wanted to get to with that question. "We'd have our mentor teach us on our breaks from training and physical conditioning. We never really had a class or something like that."

The acolyte tapped her index finger on her chin as she thought. "You're used to training opencast, am I right?"

"Yes, on different terrains, climates, whatever, from time to time, but always on exteriors, rarely on interiors."

"I've got an idea, then." Diana said as she closed the book, leaving it on the table as she searched for another one.

Leona stood from her chair. "Mind sharing it with me?" She said as she watched Diana pick a second book, smaller than the first one and move towards the big tome, grabbing it, too.

"First things first, we're going to the dining hall and we're having lunch. Afterwards, we're going to our spot." She smiled at Leona, a victorious look on her face. "Let's go." She said as she moved towards the door.

Leona darted to Diana's side. " _Our_ spot?" She inquired, raising a brow at the girl.

Diana nodded. "The cliff."

"Isn't it  _your_  spot?"

"It's not just mine, anymore." Diana grinned. "I'll let you have the honor of owning it, too."

Leona smiled at her, feeling complimented by the other girl's gesture. "I'll have to think of a way of thanking you."

Diana shook her head. "I don't mind sharing it with you." Then, a thought popped up on her mind and she snorted as she added, "Though you could always  _learn your lessons_  so I don't get killed, you know? That'd be a good payment."

Leona rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay, no need to get like that. I promise I'll learn something today." She said, then added in a mutter, "I hope so."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

Diana eyed her suspiciously while Leona looked away, both of them reaching the dining hall in no time.

They entered the busy, noisy room and suddenly the whole place went silent. Leona felt  _observed._

"What's up with this sudden  _silence?"_ She asked Diana, her words barely a breath.

But the other girl didn't seem surprised nor fazed by it. "They were stunned to silence by your mere presence." Leona stared at her with a no-nonsense look, mutedly asking the girl to stop joking, to which Diana added, "I'm being serious."

Leona grimaced, letting her sight scan the area. Indeed, all eyes were on them.

Well, on  _her._

"I don't like this." She whispered to her friend, who slowly began to move towards a table where she had spotted Helena, Leona following her like a lost child.

"Don't worry," She breathed back, shrinking the gap between them, letting her arm brush with the warrior's, her fingers grazing the back of her hand. "I'm your shield, remember?"

Still, when Leona went to grab her hand, Diana pulled hers away. The warrior tried not to look at the Solari. She succeeded at that.

She also tried not to look disappointed. She didn't succeed at that.

"Hello, Helena!" Diana said cheerfully to her friend, who hadn't noticed them approaching, making the short haired girl jump on her seat.

" _Fucking gremlin!"_ She let out immediately, the fright making her unable to filter her reaction as her reddened face pivoted enough to let her see Diana. She was about to add another insult when her eyes landed on Leona, behind her friend, staring at her, clearly amused by their antics.

Leona saw her intentions and stopped her immediately. "Stay put." Helena simply blinked at her.

"…What?" She asked her, unsure of how to react at the Chosen One ordering her not to stand up and bow.

"You heard me." Leona smiled at the girl, if only to make sure she would understand that the wasn't ordering her around, but actually talking to her like an equal. "I meant it when I told you no formalities were needed." She added, remembering what she had told Helena the first time they met.

Helena simply stared at her, confused. "So what should I do now…?"

"Well," Diana intervened as she sat down in front of Helena. "You could let us have lunch with you." She glanced at Leona, motioning for her to sit down, too, which the warrior did, to her side. "And before you begin with the whole  _Radiant Dawn_  thing, her name is actually  _Leona,_ so she'll kind of appreciate it if you just called her that." Diana regarded her friend with a tight lipped smile, waiting for her to react.

Helena's eyes darted from her friend to her goddess' image, unsure of how to proceed and of whether to believe her sight or not. Here she was, an uncomplicated scholar, trying to have lunch in peace, suddenly sitting in front of her  _moon-addled_ friend –who she loved unconditionally, with her Moon issues and all –and the Sun's one and only  _Avatar_ and, to top it off, they looked like friends already.

She blinked slowly at Diana, letting her mind readjust to reality, letting it form the one thought that was necessary for her to be able to actually process everything.

_Diana, how in the fuck._

Her eyes went from Diana to Leona, as the warrior placed her hand on Diana's shoulder, a big smile on her face, "Thank you, Di."

Then she looked at her friend again, as the Solari gently touched Leona's hand, a little smirk on her face, "No worries, Leo."

 _Leo? Di? What._   _The. Fuck._

Leona's smile faded away, a look of concern taking over her face. "Di?" She said, calling Diana's attention, who was sporting the same look, her eyes as glued on Helena as Leona's. "Is she okay…?"

Diana patted Leona's hand. "Yeah, I think she's just trying to process it."

"Process what?"

"Us."

Helena snapped out of it, then, shaking her head so as to clear it from her confusion. "I'm good, I'm good." She said, closing her eyes for a second, then looking at both girls. "I had a little moment there, but I'm good now."

Diana's hand went from Leona's to Helena's, across the table. "You sure?" She asked her, a teasing smirk on her face. "Because if you need something, like, I don't know, a doctor, we can help you-"

"Oh shut up, donkey." Helena cut her off, a smile on her lips. She sensed Leona's eyes on them, making her own go to the warrior, who was smiling at them both. "Is  _this one_ ," Helena began, pointing at Diana. "Telling me the truth or is she trying to make me call you by your name just to get me in trouble?"

Leona chuckled. "She's telling you the truth. I'd rather be called Leona. Radiant Dawn is a bit too much."

Helena nodded. "Okay, I'll try, Leona." She said, making the warrior smile.

Leona relaxed then, Diana and her following Helena's example and filling their plates with the several, different options laid in front of them, the three of them uncaring of the silent stares of others.

"So," Helena began, making them both look at her. "Where have you two been all morning? Sekhet had told me you," She looked at Diana, "Where to train her," Her eyes darted to Leona, "Which reminds me: thank you for saving her lame ass, by the way," She smirked at the sound of Diana's complaints, "But I didn't see you until now."

"We were at the library, which begs the question: where were  _you_  all morning? I thought you bookworms spent all day between books." Diana smirked at her friend, teasing her back. " _Ow!"_  She exclaimed as she felt Helena kick her shin under the table. "That wasn't necessary!"

" _That_  is what you earn for disrespecting me." Helena looked down at Diana, a smug expression on her face.

Diana looked at Leona then. " _This_ is what I have to live with." A  _thud_ was heard and Diana was looking at Helena again. "Stop kicking me!"

"You  _really_  deserved that one."

Leona laughed. "I hope I never upset you." She said at Helena, who blushed a bit at the thought of kicking  _The Chosen._

"I'd never kick you, though! Only Diana."

"You're saying that because you're thinking of me as the Chosen of the Sun," Leona said, knowingly. "When you can get over that, you'll be treating me as you do  _this one."_  She pointed at Diana with her thumb, earning a little complaint from the woman in question, smirking a bit.

"You think so? Am I even allowed to do that?"

"I  _know_  so and yes, you are."

"Then I'll just say this," Helena's face grew serious, suddenly, as she leant over the table, near Leona, the girl mirroring her motions upon the seriousness on her expression. "No matter how annoying this gremlin is, I love her like crazy, so if you get her killed, you're next on the list." She said with a no-nonsense tone, her face devoid of emotion. Leona gaped at her, surprised by the deadly threat. "Understood?" The warrior could only nod in response, making Helena smile again and sit up once more. "Good!"

Leona's eyes wandered to Diana, her mouth still agape. The other Solari just chuckled, "Yes, I know, she can be scary sometimes."

"Sorry, darling, but  _someone_ 's got to make sure she survives, you know?" She said, "And we all know that someone isn't her." She eyed Diana with a knowing look.

Leona laughed. "It's alright, I get it."

As they fell quiet, food taking the spotlight, Leona took a moment to stare at both Diana and Helena.

_Helena's willing to defy their deity for Diana._

She didn't know whether she felt admiration or jealousy for their friendship.

_Perhaps a mixture of both._

Noon passed by pretty quickly, their lunch with it. Helena had taken the opportunity to learn about Leona, asking about the tidbits of her life that the warrior was willing to share, in exchange for a bit of Helena's own livings. Leona didn't think much of Helena's life, if she had to be honest: born and raised for the Solari life, but with a strong personality that tended to draw people away, until she met Diana, the only one who wouldn't fold, who wouldn't be scared off by her.

It helped her to understand why they loved each other so much, though.

But that wasn't on her mind anymore, for the warrior was currently following Diana to their secret spot, having left Helena behind with a farewell and the promise of seeing her later.

"We're here," The Solari said, walking towards the cliff and admiring the view for a second. She turned and looked at Leona. "Mind if we try again?" She waved the book they had been reading at the library in front of her.

Leona sighed. "Okay, we can give it a shot." They sat down on the grass facing each other, letting the afternoon Sun warm their skin. "I must warn you, though; I don't really understand the book, though. It explains things in a hard way…" Leona confessed, blushing a bit as she felt dumb for having said her truth.

But Diana spared her from any judgement when she just smiled at her. "It's okay, we'll think of something." She opened the book and skimmed through the pages, analyzing an alternative. "What if I tried to explain it to you with my own words?"

Leona thought about it for a second, then said, "Guess we could try, as long as you know how to dumb it down to my level." She chuckled at her self-deprecating joke, but Diana simply frowned at her.

"You're not dumb, you're just not used to books." She smirked. "You'll see how fast you can learn with the right teacher."

"Who might that be?"

Diana scowled at her for a moment, earning a laugh from Leona. Then, she began reading the book, letting the cogs inside her brain work out a way to ease the lesson into Leona's mind.

A lopsided smirk appeared on her face as she realized she knew how to do it. "Okay, are you ready?" When Leona nodded, an expression of complete concentration on her face, Diana took it as her cue to begin, opting to teach the warrior the heaviest part first: the history of the Solari and the Elders before the current ones.

* * *

"You're kidding me? Really, you've got to be kidding me."

"Nope. That's how it happened."

Leona scoffed, unable to believe Diana's words. "And then us Ra-Horak are the  _troglodytes."_

Diana merely shrugged. "I know, we aren't that civilized either, but this is the way it is, you know?"

"But  _execution?_  For loving another man?" Leona shook her head. "I can't believe it."

"I'll take it the Ra-Horak aren't as extremist?"

"By the Sun, no!" Leona exclaimed, horrified by the idea of her tribe being as brutal as the Solari. "The Ra-Horak do not care for such things. It doesn't matter if you love a man or a woman. As long as you vow to be loyal to your lover and proud of your union to them, all of the tribe will cherish your union and validate it." She frowned, then. "Never did we execute anyone for loving someone of their same sex."

"But they did try to execute you for being pacific."

Leona snorted. "Okay, we  _do_ have our fallacies, I'm not saying we don't, but  _still_."

Diana regarded her with a teasing look. "Where did all this sudden protectiveness towards the killer tribe come from? Last I knew, you were glad to be away from them."

Leona exhaled slowly, thinking about Diana's words, trying to find a way to express what she felt. "It's hard to explain… They're still my home and they built my past, you know?" When she saw Diana stare at her, listening to her, she continued, "And I may disagree with almost everything they value, but they still are the ones who raised me and some things are hard to let go, not to say I won't be able to unlearn them, ever." She scowled. "The Ra-Horak are passionate for the  _art_ of battle, but not even them would dare  _kill_ someone for loving someone else. That's low."

Diana smirked, her dark humor making it gruesome. "If not even the Ra-Horak are willing to do it, then I guess it talks badly about the Solari."

" _Very_ badly." She placed her hands behind her on the grass, leaning on them. "And here I was, thinking you were the peaceful religion I wanted to join."

Diana snorted. "Nope, we suck as much as the rest."

Leona arched an eyebrow. "I see you don't agree with it, either."

Diana stared at her, her eyes fixed on golden ones. "The execution of Elder Suhr and Elder Juni for their devotion to each other has always been the history lesson I hated the most." She cast her eyes on the ground. "I can't see what's so wrong with loving someone who's sex is the same as yours, but it seems the Sun will not allow it, considering it one of the two worst sins."

"Along with the studying of the Moon." Leona added, her eyes glued to azure ones. Diana gulped.

"Yes, along with anything regarding the Moon."

Silence fell over them for a moment, Diana refusing to look at Leona in the eye, feeling the air thick with tension, for the Chosen had finally pointed out what she never wanted her to see: her nightly studies marked her as a heretic of the worst kind.

Leona gazed up at the sky, at the Sun. She frowned at her deity. "I don't know. It sounds like bullshit to me."

Diana's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "What?"

Leona shrugged. "It doesn't add up."

The Solari frowned, unable to follow Leona's train of thought. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it," She said, leaning forward. "The Sun forbids a certain kind of love and the sense of curiosity for her nightly counterpart, praising war and battle as glorious acts, demanding the extermination of those who refuse to follow her light, yet she chooses  _me, a Ra-Horak who hates killing_ and is used to training  _at night_ , to represent her in this world as her Avatar?" She shook her head, shrugging. "I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but even  _I_  can see what's wrong there."

Diana's expression of surprise turned into a frown. "Now that you mention it…"

"And considering the previous Avatars, who they were, how and why the Sun chose them," Leona added, clicking her tongue. "Sounds pretty weird, doesn't it?"

Diana's frown deepened. She knew the warrior didn't mean to, but she was accidentally suggesting something that the Solari wouldn't be able to shake off her mind anytime soon. "It does." Diana let her eyes look away, into the sunset.

_Sunset._

"It's got late." She said, changing the subject and trying to ease her mind.

"Thankfully, for it means there's not much more time in the day for you to teach me." Leona said, a smile on her lips. Diana laughed a bit.

"Actually, we've gone through everything you had to learn for today, so you're free from my claws for now."

Leona grinned. "Freedom at last!" She exclaimed, letting herself lay down on the grass, closing her eyes and sighing happily.

"Come on, was it really that bad?"

"No," Leona quickly sat up, her eyes on Diana. "Actually, you made it really easy." She smiled. "But I don't think I can pay attention for  _this_ long. You're an amazing mentor, but I'm a very bad student."

"Well, let me make you an offer," Diana said, catching Leona's attention. "Starting tomorrow, once we've finished with the day's lesson, which we'll be taking here from now on, we'll spar for the rest of the day, or until you get tired and call it a day. How does that sound?"

Leona pretended to analyze Diana's offer, but the playful smile on her lips already told the Solari her answer. "Hm. I don't know. Seems like I'm on the losing end of this bargain."

Diana sighed, though she was smiling, too. "After each hour of learning, we get a tiny break."

"Okay, deal!" Leona said, immediately, offering her hand for Diana to shake, which she did with a laugh. "And, considering you just said we were done…" She added, mirth shining in her eyes as she stood in one swift motion, pulling Diana up by her hand. "Let's switch."

"What?" Diana asked her, taken by surprise by the sudden change in her demeanor.

"Now I'm the mentor, and you're the student." Leona said, a smug look on her face as she circled Diana, looking like a predator, the Solari her prey. "I'm training my Ra-Horak apprentice, now."

Diana laughed, suddenly nervous, the books forgotten on the floor. "Leo-"

 _"Think fast!"_ Leona whispered from behind her as she placed her foot in front of Diana's legs and pushed her forward, trying to trip the girl.

Diana quickly molded herself to the warrior's motions, letting her guide her to the ground, but landing with her forearm, rolling forward and ending on her feet once more, her guard up as she turned to see Leona.

But Leona wasn't there.

_What…?_

"Behind you, again." She felt the warrior's breath on her ear, making every hair on her body stand on end. Diana stood frozen on her place, as she could  _feel_  Leona smirking. "You're not going to turn around?"

"No."

Leona laughed, the sound  _too_  close to her ear, but still gentle enough that it wasn't bothering her. "It's hard to train you if you're not willing to learn."

"It's not that I'm not willing, it's that-"

"What?" Leona cut her off, already teasing her.

"Honestly? I don't know." Diana blurted, letting her head slowly pivot enough to see Leona.

She quickly looked forward again when she realized the warrior was closer than expected, her nose having brushed Leona's when she tried to turn. The Radiant Dawn laughed then, taking a step backwards and giving Diana her personal space, which she thought the girl missed.

She didn't know it wasn't like that, actually.

"Okay, I'll let you be for today, but tomorrow you aren't getting away from sparring with me." Leona said, offering her mercy. Diana breathed again, unsure of how to feel about Leona's warning.

"I'll try to be ready." Was all she could say as her eyes followed Leona's movements, the warrior picking up the books, mischief still on her eyes.

"Since we aren't training today, what do you say about a little race back to the temple?" Leona asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

Diana took a second to relax again after the warrior's previous intensity, then said, as she got ready to run. "See you there!" She darted towards the temple, running like hell, but soon she found out Leona wasn't like the lazy Helena, as the warrior caught up with her in no time.

They ran through the forest, almost equals in speed, Diana's knowledge of the woods and slightly better agility making her faster. The eastern entrance appeared in front of them, the Solari thinking herself as the winner already.

Until Leona threw herself on Diana's back, rolling them over once she caught the azure eyed girl, so as to take her to the ground but not hurt her in the process.

" _Hey!"_ Diana exclaimed when she realized what Leona had done, as the warrior quickly got on her feet again, running the remaining steps and becoming the victor.

"The Radiant Dawn wins!" Leona hollered as she laughed, raising her hands to the sky as she celebrated her triumph. Diana stood up and walked towards her.

"Not fair, you dirty player." She said, pretending to be angry at the warrior. Leona laughed.

"First lesson: never expect your opponent to play fair. Besides, we never set any rules." She smirked at Diana, who scoffed at her, crossing her arms and looking away. Leona walked towards her. "Forgive me, please?"

Diana avoided eye contact with Leona. "No."

She felt her face heat up, a blush giving her face a crimson color as the warrior suddenly hugged her from behind. "Forgive me, please?" She tried again, giving the girl a big, toothy smile, the little space that had been there between their bodies becoming nonexistent.

" _Fine,_ you're forgiven." Diana said quickly, her nerves getting the best of her, making Leona chuckle as she felt victorious again, thanking Diana's forgiveness with a kiss on the girl's cheek, releasing her and walking towards the entrance again.

Completely unaware of how her silly gesture had left Diana frozen on her place.

"You'll find out soon enough," Leona said, making Diana snap out of it as the Solari approached the entrance, too. "That I always get what I want." She regarded Diana with a smug look on her face.

"Something tells me that will represent me a lot of trouble…" Diana thought out loud, her mind still on a trance.

Leona laughed. "Perhaps."

* * *

The Sun was gone, the Moon having taken her place in the sky. Diana was up, as usual, her room silent as she read through one of her Old Rakkor astronomy books, the constellations one could see in the night's sky her current object of study.

She couldn't stop thinking about the day she had had with Leona, her thoughts making her smile.

Her eyes landed on yet another constellation depicted on the book that she hadn't known about until that moment:  ** _The First Aspect Of The Sun_** _._

She frowned as her mind worked on its' own, her brain relating something she remembered from her day with Leona to what she had just read.

 _It doesn't add up,_ she could recall that Leona had said.

And now her book talked about an arrangement of stars with the form of the first Chosen of the Sun to ever exist…

The very first protector of the Sun in the starred sky; the one that belonged to the Moon…

 _It doesn't add up,_  was all she could think.

Why would the Moon allow for her stars, her most loyal followers, to mimic the Sun? Why would the Moon allow her servants to create a tribute to her mortal enemy and to let said tribute live in her dark sky?

Diana frowned.  _It doesn't add up._

But she wasn't sure why and, if she kept thinking about it, she knew her head would blow up.

So she closed her book and opened those which she would use the day after that to teach Leona her lessons, preparing a little summary with her own words, so as to be already prepared when the lesson began.

But her mind was somewhere else as she stole glances at the Moon, as she thought of the warrior who, in theory, had to serve as her enemy, as her own deity's mortal aspect.

_It doesn't add up._


	8. Chapter 8

The first orange tones of dawn settled in the sky and Leona immediately smiled as she waited for a knock on her door.

She had been up for a while now, having risen before her celestial mistress, letting herself turn her back on the Sun for a little moment, as she stared at the stars for as long as they remained, thinking how beautiful they were.

Thinking how, despite everything, they weren't as beautiful as the full moon that had taken the spotlight in the night's sky.

But then the stars were gone, only the Moon remained, and Leona remembered she shouldn't be flirting with her newfound enemy.

_That would be heresy, wouldn't it?_

_And we are not heretic._

_Right?_

So she turned her back on the Moon then, breaking a rule the Ra-Horak considered unbreakable, if only because violating it could mean death: never give your back to your enemies, always face them eye to eye.

But she didn't care, as she expected the Moon to play fair with her and thus broke the lesson she had taught Diana the day before: never expect your enemies to play fair.

_But we're all following the rules._

_So much for being my foes._

So the warrior had got dressed in a matter of minutes, sitting on her bed and waiting for her mentor, wishing time would go faster. Why was she so impatient?

Perhaps she just wanted the day to begin, she though.

 _Perhaps you want to see her, already,_ some honest, whispery voice said inside her skull.

 _Perhaps you miss her company, already,_ it repeated.

"How about we shut up?" Leona had answered out loud, blushing at her own actions.

Or at the voice's implications.

She was about to think of that for a second, let herself analyze it, when she finally heard that knocking sound she had been expecting.

With an unconscious smile, she darted towards the door, opening it just to meet azure eyes.

"Good morning, Diana." She greeted the other girl, who looked more awake than the day before.

Diana smiled at her. "Good morning, Leona. Ready to begin?" When Leona nodded energetically, Diana laughed. "Let's go, then." She said, as she began walking, Leona naturally following her.

"Had a good night's sleep yesterday?" Leona inquired, letting the girl know that she had noticed her boost in energy in comparison to their first lesson. When Diana shook her head, a sly smile on her lips, Leona arched an eyebrow. "Oh? How come?"

"I wasn't lying when I told you that staying up all night long would have been easier than waking before dawn." Diana subtly explained, making Leona laugh.

"That raises two questions:" The warrior said.

Diana arched an eyebrow. "Shoot."

"What were you doing and when do you rest?"

Diana looked at Leona, seriousness in her expression. "I don't rest." Leona chuckled, staring right back at Diana. When the girl didn't budge, her serious look still on, she stopped laughing.

"What…" She began, but then she saw Diana slowly smirk and laughed once more. "Okay, you almost got me there."

"Almost?" The Solari questioned, a teasing smirk on her face.

Leona raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, you  _had_ me there. Happy?" She smiled at Diana, who nodded.

"Very much so."

They kept walking, Leona already headed for the library. Diana noticed this when she aimed to turn at an intersection in the hallways, Leona walking straight instead.

"Where are you going?" She asked her, making the warrior halt in her movements.

Leona turned and looked at Diana, pointing backwards with her thumb. "To the library… aren't we supposed to fetch some books for today's lesson?"

Diana smiled, shaking her head. "I've got something different prepared for today. Let's go."

* * *

"So, are you finally going to tell me what is the new, different thing you got ready for today?" The warrior asked as she sat down on the ground, having the two of them reached their destination.

Diana smirked, as she mirrored the warrior, "You'll see." She said, as one of her hands dug between the folds of her robe, looking for something.

Leona tried not to laugh as she watched the Solari begin to grope herself in search of something, her golden eyes growing in size due to the surprise she felt, Diana's actions being unexpected.

"Diana…?" She questioned, trying to keep her tone as neutral as possible, so as not to disturb the girl in question and have a bit more of entertainment.

"Hush." Diana silenced her as she kept searching. She smiled triumphantly at the girl then, seemingly unaware of the warrior's expression. "Here!" She said as she fished some papers from underneath her clothes, somewhere close to her abdomen. Then, she saw Leona's expression as the warrior tried not to laugh and immediately turned red in the face. "What?"

Leona stopped resisting and laughed, shaking her head. "Nothing, ignore me." She took a moment to calm down, letting Diana's face go back to normal, before she asked her, "What's up with those papers?"

"These papers I got here," Diana said, a smug look on her face as she waved the papers in front of her. "Are notes I've written of today's lesson." When she saw Leona simply arch an eyebrow, she proceeded to explain. "I grabbed the books we were going to use for today and I summarized them all in these notes over here. It's written with the same words I would use to explain it to you, so that you can read it and ask me any questions you may have." She smiled brightly, feeling brilliant for having thought about summarizing it with her own words the night before. "I don't know," She added with a shrug as Leona just stared at her, making her feel self-conscious. "I thought that, perhaps, we could try another way of learning: you take your time reading through it and ask me anything you want."

Leona couldn't get her eyes away from her, the girl's childish expression making her smile, too. "May I see those?" She asked, extending her arm as Diana gave her the notes. She inspected them, letting herself admire the girl's handwriting and the little doodles she had left all over the edges of the papers. She looked at Diana, raising the hand with the notes. " _This_ is what you've been up to all night, isn't it?" When Diana slowly nodded, Leona laughed gleefully, shaking her head. "You've got to be kidding me."

Diana frowned a bit, then, taken aback by Leona's words, thinking that the warrior was mocking her and the mere thought of it being absolutely terrifying for the Solari. "What is it?"

But then Leona was looking at her with pure adoration shining in her eyes, a big grin on her face. "You're  _amazing_ and I have no other word to describe you but that one:  _Amazing._ " She shook her head. "I can't believe how much of a smart move it was, getting you to become my mentor."

Diana let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "It's nothing, really."

"Hush," Leona said, as she pretended to grow serious and placed Diana's notes on her lap. "I've got some words to read and I'd appreciate you didn't distract me with lies."

Diana laughed at her friend but remained quiet, either way, letting Leona tackle the task at hand.

Minutes passed and turned into an hour. Or two, perhaps? Diana wasn't sure. She wasn't preoccupied by it either, her mind completely turned off as she stared at the Radiant Dawn, unable to look away from Leona's face of pure concentration as the girl went through her scribbles.

The warrior's brows were creased, her eyes darting from one side of the page to the other, her tongue poking out of her mouth sometimes, her lip being trapped between her teeth some others, when she read through something particularly hard in comparison to the rest of the text.

Diana couldn't help the grin off her face when Leona would look away from the paper from time to time, her gaze focusing on something unidentified on the grass, her mind working out what she had just read, her hands twitching as she thought with her body, too, letting it move to help her assimilate the new information.

Once she finally got what she was pondering, she would nod only once, a small smirk on her face, as her eyes returned to the paper, the face of concentration taking over once again.

The Solari wondered if there was anybody else in all of Runeterra, apart from her in that same moment, of course, who had found a Ra-Horak warrior  _cute._

_No, not cute, but whatever comes after it instead. I mean, come on._

"Okay," Leona suddenly said, making Diana snap out of her trance. "I think I'm done." She raised her gaze towards Diana's eyes, her look still being one of concentration.

"And do you have any questions?" Diana asked her, to which Leona answered with a tiny nod.

"Only one," Leona said, suddenly growing even more serious. When Diana's expression matched hers, the girl waiting for her doubt to be voiced, Leona let out, "Why aren't we sparring yet?" She tried not to laugh when Diana rolled her eyes, clicking her tongue at her. "Hey, I'm being serious!"

"No,  _I'm_ the one serious here." Diana said, raising an eyebrow at the girl. "Do you have any questions, Leo?"

"Relax, Di." Leona retorted, hoping the girl would just relax. "I've got no questions."

"Are you sure?"

Leona nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. You're very good at teaching, so you made it very easy." When she saw Diana eye her doubtfully, she added, "I'm being honest! When have I lied?"

"At this point, I'm certain you'd do anything to get away from studying."

Leona regarded her with a no-nonsense look. "Okay, I  _may_ hate lessons, but not  _your_  lessons."

"How come?"

Leona shrugged, looking away from Diana. "I don't know; I happen to enjoy them." When she heard Diana snort, she let her gaze go back to her, a blush covering her cheeks. "Hey! I'm being serious!" She echoed her words from before.

Diana laughed, shaking her head. "Leo, I've learned just how much you enjoy studying and it's as much as I enjoy having to face Eos." Leona frowned, looking away from Diana as she blushed, embarrassment taking over, the Solari noticing the change in her demeanor. "What's the matter?"

Leona didn't look at her as she said. "I don't quite appreciate it; you know?"

"The what?"

Leona's face was more crimson than her hair as she said, "The mocking me."

Diana's expression fell, then, when she realized she was doing the same thing she had been fearing Leona would do before. She scooted closer to Leona, sitting to her side.

"Hey," She said softly as she draped an arm over the warrior's shoulders, making Leona look at her from the corner of her eye. It wasn't enough, though, as Diana said, "Leo, look at me."

The warrior slowly turned her face. She realized then that she was closer to Diana than what she had thought, as their foreheads almost touched, but she kept her focus on the Solari's eyes, which stared back with intensity. "I'm looking at you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel as if I was mocking you." The hand over Leona's shoulders squeezed the girl. "I was just playing with you, but I understand if I overstepped the line or something." She inclined her head to a side. "Can you forgive me?"

Leona cast her stare away, to the ground. "I don't know…" She said, noticing with her peripheral vision how Diana's look of sadness turned into pure sorrow at her words, so she continued talking, "I don't think you earned it." She tried not to smirk at her own words as she thought of something.

"What do I have to do, then?" Diana blurted out immediately.

Leona slowly raised her gaze then, making eye contact with Diana as she said, "Let's go to the stream and I'll show you."

* * *

"Okay, now  _you're_ the one doing the mocking." Diana said, feeling  _pathetic._

Leona just laughed at her. "Of  _course_ I'm mocking you, you deserve it after basically calling me both a  _liar_ and an  _idiot!"_

Diana turned to look at her friend, a blush covering her cheeks. "I  _didn't_  call you that!"

"Not explicitly, but you  _did."_ Leona said, making Diana groan as she turned to continue the task at hand.

Leona had silently guided her to the river that hid underneath the forest's foliage, refusing to let her know which kind of punishment she had thought out for the Solari's mean actions. When they had reached the stream, the warrior confirmed it had fish in it and told the raven haired girl to catch one for her.

"I'm hungry," Leona had said, "So if you catch me my lunch, I'll forgive you."

Diana was currently trying to do just that, the water up to her waist, her hatred for Leona growing more and more each minute.  _Why the fuck couldn't she just tell me to run back to the temple and fetch her something? It would have been as much a good punishment as this one._

"Come on, Diana!" Leona hollered from the tree she was laying against. "My food is not going to catch itself!" She laughed when Diana glared at her with  _fury._

 _Oh, she's pissed._  Leona smiled.  _Perfect._

A big trout started swimming nearby her, so Diana threw her hands into the water, trying to catch it and failing miserably. She sighed. "I think I learned my lesson." The Solari basically growled, her back to Leona.

"What was that?" The warrior asked her, making Diana turn.

"I said I think I learned my lesson." She repeated herself louder as she watched the warrior stand up, taking her boots off. "What are you doing?" She questioned, arching an eyebrow, but Leona remained silent as she made her way towards Diana, a smirk on her face.

The Ra-Horak hopped into the water, landing away enough from Diana so as not to splash her. Then, she approached the girl, an arrogant air to her. Diana merely stared in confusion as Leona raised a finger, as if saying  _watch me_. Then, her eyes darted to the water, her pupils following the big trout Diana couldn't catch. After a few seconds of stillness, her hand suddenly shot out into the water, the warrior being successful in what the Solari had failed before, as she raised her hand, showing Diana the trout, a smug look on her face.

"If I have to wait for you to catch one I might starve to death." Leona said, making Diana frown even more, laughing at the Solari's reaction. "Worry not, I've got a handful of skills that will ensure we manage to eat something today." Mirth shone in her eyes as she threw the trout in the air, shouting, "Catch!"

Diana's hands were desperately trying to grab the fish, succeeding just before the catch fell back into the water. Leona laughed as she watched, then she got ready to catch another one, feeling Diana's eyes on her. "I'll take it you've learned your lesson?"

Diana nodded, knowing the warrior was looking at her out of the corner of her eye. "I'll never tease you again, I swear."

Leona laughed, shaking her head. "You can tease me all you want, Diana. All I ask of you is not to laugh at me, but with me, get it?"

Diana blushed as she looked away, feeling idiotic for her previous actions. "Yeah."

Leona caught another trout in no time and got out of the water, motioning for Diana to follow her. After starting a small fire and getting the fish ready, she sat down against the tree again, Diana's curious eyes falling on her once more.

"Why did you choose to fish our meal instead of simply going back to the temple for lunch?" The Solari inquired. Leona shrugged.

"You needed someone to put you in your place," Leona said, winking at the girl as she blushed again. "Besides, I wasn't feeling like going back into the temple. I'd rather we tried something different."

"Like fishing?"

"Like fishing."

Diana looked at the ground, letting the silence stretch for a second, before she finally dared say what she was thinking.

"I really meant it, you know?"

Leona raised her brows in surprise, having not expected the girl to speak. "Hm?"

"I never meant to make you feel as if I were mocking you." Diana said, her eyes glued to Leona's, her gaze intense. "It was never my intention to laugh at you or anything." She looked away as she felt herself blush again. "I'm really sorry."

She heard Leona rise from her spot, looking at the girl only when she felt her sit down next to her, a hand on her shoulder, calling her attention. The warrior was smiling. "You don't have to apologize. I won't lie; it hurt me a bit, but I think I may have overreacted, too." A self-deprecating laugh came out of her mouth. "Back in the camp, I was used to some people mocking me and thinking less of me, so I think my mind went back to that and I got a bit crazy. I think I kind of owe you an apology, too."

"Nonsense," Diana whispered, feeling terribly bad for what she'd made Leona feel. "You owe me nothing." When Leona smiled at her, she smirked, adding, "Okay, perhaps an apology for having me take a bath so early in the day  _is_ due, though." Leona laughed.

"Actually, we are  _both_  going to take an early bath today."

"How come?"

Leona's stare became intense. "You aren't getting away from sparring with me today and we're going to do it down here, so that I can throw you into the water if you misbehave."

Diana's eyebrows shot up as she hit the warrior on the arm, playfully. "Not fair! You're a better fighter than I am."

Leona laughed, "I promise I'll hold back!"

"Still, you're better than me."

A feral smile slowly appeared on Leona's face, "Then you'll end in the water more often than not."

Diana gulped, swallowing down her pride because, judging by the  _cruel_  smile the warrior was wearing and the amusement shining in her eyes, she knew it was about to be  _destroyed._

_There goes any remnant of dignity I had left._

They remained silent for a while as Leona cooked the fish, Diana quietly staring at her.

Upon feeling the Solari's eyes on her, she looked up from her task smiling a bit at the raven haired girl. "Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm thinking of how you're going to beat my ass later." Diana blurted out, finding it hard to filter herself around Leona, opting to let her thoughts out through her mouth instead. Leona just laughed.

"You have no idea." Leona said and Diana could swear on her life that there was  _mercilessness_ shining in her eyes.

_Fuck._

"Weren't you the pacifist Ra-Horak? The  _peace-lover?_ " She questioned, trying to save her skin. Leona snorted as she inspected the fish, deeming it cooked.

"Your insolence scared the Radiant Dawn out of me, leaving room only for the brutal Ra-Horak that lives inside my heart." Leona said, clearly enjoying this little game she was playing, as she fought to keep a smile at bay while she eyed Diana as if she were a treat.

"I take it back, I take it all back," Diana immediately said, shaking her head with a bit of dread in her heart. "Bring my Chosen home, I swear I'll do anything."

Leona raised an eyebrow. "Anything, hm?" She said, smirking.

Diana gulped, suddenly feeling nervous. "Yes." She choked out, her throat dry.

Leona's smirk broadened into a full smile. "Well," She said, her eyes going from Diana to their food as she offered one of the fish to the Solari, who took it, skeptically. "A little sacrifice must be made." She let out as she inspected her food and took a big bite out of it.

Diana tried to do the same. "What kind of sacrifice?"

Leona swallowed and pretended to think for a minute. After seeing Diana's look of impatience, she spoke again. "I'll tell you later." Then she fell quiet, finishing her meal in a matter of minutes. The Solari did the same, though the warrior's words had made her so nervous that she almost had to force the food down her throat, her lack of appetite making it hard for her to finish it.

Leona got to her feet and walked towards the stream, using the water to clean her hands. She smirked as she felt Diana do the same, though she moved with less confidence, as if waiting for Leona to strike her. The warrior stood and stretched, ignoring the Solari.

But Diana couldn't take it anymore. "Okay, now's later. What kind of sacrifice?" She asked.

Leona looked at her then, a smile appearing on her face in a way Diana found disturbingly creepy.

A smile that appeared because the raven haired girl never noticed she was standing awfully close to the water.

"what kind of sacrifice, you ask?" Leona said as she slowly approached the Solari, making her take a step backwards, halting only because the water was behind her. Leona got intimately close to Diana as she whispered "A  _human_ sacrifice."

When Diana realized what Leona had said, the warrior had already surrounded the girl with her arms, trapping her and lifting her in the air. Leona then let a battle cry as she threw Diana into the water, containing her laughter at the sound of Diana's squeal of surprise.

But she let her laugh out, loud and noisy, when she saw the Solari emerge from the water, looking completely displeased by it.

"What's the matter?" Leona asked her in between her fits of laughter while Diana pivoted her body to look at the warrior.

"This shit is  _cold."_ Diana said, then narrowed her eyes. "Like your heart."

Leona placed her hand on her heart. "That really hurt my feelings."

"It'd better."

Leona smirked. "You look like a wet dog."

She didn't notice the slow smile on Diana's face as the Solari said, "You look like a wet cat and you don't hear me complaining."

Leona frowned. "But I'm not wet-" She began, but she cut herself off as Diana splashed her from head to toe.

Leona silently gaped at herself, inspecting her clothes, now completely damp, as Diana smiled from her place in the water. "Uh, sorry," The Solari began, "You were saying?" She let herself float around, moving towards the deeper part of the stream, where she barely touched the bottom.

But her sudden confidence faded away as she saw Leona look at her with an icy glare. She couldn't tell whether what she felt was guilt or fear.

_Fuck._

But Leona's eyes looked so  _alive,_ so full of happiness…

…so full of happiness that she stared at them, completely unaware of the fact that the warrior was preparing to jump into the water, taking a few steps backwards, then running towards her, pouncing for her like a predator for its' prey.

Leona landed right in front of Diana, who was covering her face with her arms, splashing the girl so much that the Solari thought she had got even damper, somehow.

When Diana lowered her arms, ready to complain about the Chosen's childish behavior, she saw Leona lunging for her again, bringing her down into the water with her.

Diana easily released herself, emerging once more, gasping for air as she hadn't breathed before, not expecting the warrior to submerge her. Leona simply laughed.

Her desperate breathing turned into a coughing fit, though, as she moved over to the shallower area and kept coughing, her back to Leona, who's laughter quieted down as she stared at Diana, concern taking over.

"Diana?" She tried, but the girl was too busy coughing to even try to answer, so Leona moved towards her, "Diana, are you okay?" When she received no answer, she scooted even closer, placing a hand on the Solari's back.

She was about to ask again, but then Diana's coughing immediately halted as the girl pivoted towards her, trapping her with her arms and dragging her into the water. When Leona released herself, it was her turn to emerge with a gasp for air and Diana's to laugh mischievously.

"Rule number one; never expect your opponent to play fair!" Diana said, making Leona laugh and nod.

"You're a fast learner."

Diana smirked. "I don't get fooled twice."

"That I just learned." Leona said as she shook her head in an attempt to clear her hair away from her face, making Diana laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Who's the wet dog now?" She teased Leona for her behavior, making the warrior laugh.

"What can I say?" She shrugged, "I've always been a wild animal."

"Strange, I always saw you like a little puppy."

Leona eyed Diana then, mirth in her eyes. "Excuse me?"

The Solari tried not to laugh. "Yeah, you know, all harmless and nice."

Leona smirked, her body language going from relaxed to that of a hunter's, making Diana nervous once she noticed. "I'll show you the rabid animal inside of me." She said as she approached Diana, making the Solari walk backwards against, her back hitting the bank's wall. The warrior got close enough she could feel Diana's breath on her lips and placed her hands to each of the Solari's sides, trapping her.

"What are you doing?" Diana's voice was barely a whisper.

"Making you uncomfortable." Leona stated, a lazy gaze on her eyes as her pupils danced all ober Diana's face.

"Why?"

"Because I want you to try and push me away."

"Why?"

Leona's eyebrows rose on their own accord. "You don't want to push me away?"

"No." Diana blurted out but upon Leona's look of surprise, she said, "Yes." But it felt wrong on her tongue. "I don't know?" She thought out loud.

"...What?"

"I meant yes." Diana quickly let out, blushing hard.

Leona smirked, but remained quiet about Diana's slip. "I want you to keep me away."

"But why?"

"Because I want to spar with you but I don't feel like beginning it."

"But I don't want to hit you."

"Ah, you will." Leona said. Diana was about to ask what she meant by that, but then Leona was annoyingly poking her on the sides.

"Stop that!" The Solari said as she tried to dodge Leona's fingers

"Stop me!" Leona retorted, her poking always successfully hitting the right places to make Diana squirm.

Diana kept dodging, but her patience grew short. When she couldn't take it anymore, she pushed Leona away by the shoulders.

Leona smirked as she caught Diana's hands, using the momentum of the push to pull Diana towards her, then moving to a side and throwing Diana away.

"Come on, weakling." Leona taunted an already annoyed Diana, making the Solari lunge for her again.

They spent the whole afternoon like that: Diana trying to succeed at pushing Leona, the warrior foreseeing her every attempt and using the Solari's own strength against her, pissing Diana off more and more every time.

The Sun was already low, already setting, night creeping up on them when Leona noticed how dark it had got after having thrown Diana away for the umpteenth time.

"Hey, it got dark." Leona called out as she stared into the sunset. "I guess we should-" She began as she turned to look at Diana, cutting herself off when she noticed Diana was nowhere to be found.

"Di?" She asked into the darkness, squinting, trying to see the Solari but struggling with her task.

But Diana was nowhere to be found.

Leona started to grow worried, unsure of where the Solari could be. Surely, she shouldn't be in danger.

Right?

She turned, looking away from the water and into the forest, trying to locate the Solari.  _Perhaps she sneaked out of the water without me noticing?_

_Impossible, though. I would have known._

She didn't hear the girl in question as she emerged from behind her, getting her mouth close to her ear just to whisper, "Behind you."

Leona couldn't react as Diana pinned her against the river bank, holding her in place with her own body, her hands on each of Leona's wrists.

Leona was breathing rapidly, having been scared by the girl, her pupils dilated by the adrenaline on her blood as they scanned Diana's victorious expression.

"I got you!" She said, getting even closer to Leona as she added, "Who's the weakling now?"

"You got me." Leona rasped out, her nerves giving her goosebumps.

And it was only then that Diana noticed how close they were, her eyes going to Leona's lips on their own.

And thus she missed how Leona's were doing the same with her.

"And I'm the weakling." She let out, her voice barely a whisper as she didn't fight the Solari restraining her, her mind blank as she tried to calm down, failing miserably.

They didn't hear the set of footsteps approaching them.

"It's always been me." Leona said, feeling in a trance, Diana not letting her go.

Suddenly, someone cleared their throat and the Solari jumped away from the Ra-Horak, her heart on her throat.

Their eyes fell on their intruder, Helena, who eyed them curiously, but said nothing.

"What?" Both the warrior and the scholar said in unison, the scare they had suffered still gripping their hearts with its' claws of fear.

"I was sent to retrieve you two. Night's come." She said, still staring at them both, wide eyed.

Diana and Leona got out of the water, rushing to get their boots on.

"Helena!" They heard a female voice holler from somewhere a bit far from them. "Did you find them?"

"Yeah, Lycia! They're here!" Helena called back as they heard another person approaching them.

"There you are!" Another scholar with long, wavy brown hair said as she eyed them curiously, noticing how Diana and Leona were damp. "What happened to you?"

"Ah, that's my fault." Helena said, suddenly looking apologetic. "I may or may not have accidentally scared them while they were wrestling." She scratched the back of her head. "The Radiant Dawn fell into the water and dragged Diana with her." She looked at Leona, her gaze intense. "You fell very graciously, Chosen One."

Leona was confused but followed the act, nonetheless. "Thank you, I feel flattered."

Lycia nodded slowly. "Okay, we should head back or else Elder Eos will have us all flogged."

"Yeah," Helena said, looking at Diana, who refused to meet her stare. "Let's go."

They all walked towards the temple, Lycia ahead as Helena subtly walked slower so as to fall into step alongside Diana.

She was about to open her mouth when the Solari stared at her with wide eyes, the woman still on edge.

So Helena's mouth fell shut as she eyed Diana hard, her gaze telling her friend they would have a chat later and walked ahead of her again, talking with Lycia about something idle, though Diana knew the girl's attention was on her.

"Who's that?" Leona asked Diana once she knew they were out of Helena and Lycia's hearing range.

"Lycia, another High Acolyte. She's nice, a good friend of mine, an even better friend of Helena's." Diana responded automatically, her brain still not functioning.

_What in the Void happened back there?_

"Oh, okay." Leona said, then fell quiet.

They were almost at the temple when Leona spoke once more, her voice barely a whisper.

"Hey, I want you to accompany me back to my room, if that's okay?" She gazed at Diana from the corner of her eye.

The girl gulped. "What for?"

"I want to talk to you about something."

"About what?" Diana inquired, careful not to let her voice be heard by Lycia nor Helena, but being certain they could hear the pounding of her heart against her chest.

"About things your religion doesn't want me to talk about." Leona said, her eyes going up to the sky, settling on the Moon.

Diana sighed, breathing an air of relief. "Our religion."

" _Our_  religion." Leona echoed, letting her eyes go back to Diana. "Will you come?"

The seconds Diana let pass as she thought out her answer were agonizingly long in Leona's head.

But her answer was worth it.

"I will." She said low enough that Leona thought she had imagined it for a second, but Diana's eyes were on her, waiting to see her reaction, and that was all the warrior needed to know she had heard right. She supressed her smile, if only to avoid being seen by the other two scholars.

 _Great,_ she mouthed, then looked ahead, Diana doing the same.

But Leona felt the Solari's doubts, so she had a better idea.

" ** _I'll meet you by my door near midnight."_** She said in the Old Rakkor, making both Lycia and Helena turn to look at her with curiosity, but pointedly ignoring their stares.

" _ **I'll be there."**_ Diana responded, careful not to look at Helena in the eye as she spoke, for she knew the scholar's whole attention was on her.

The Ra-Horak warrior didn't mention how she also wanted to talk about whatever happened at the river, opting to keep that to herself.

The Solari scholar didn't mention how she could see that one coming, though.

So they both walked side by side in complete silence,the other two talking about something they didn't particularly care about.

For they thought there were far more interesting things to be discussed, either way.


	9. Chapter 9

_Near midnight,_ was all Diana could think as her eyes scanned her surroundings, her every hair standing on end as she moved, still being on edge. She was walking towards Leona's door, her white, scholar robes swaying with the light, night breeze in the corridors, the idea of someone seeing her, catching her doing something she shouldn't, terrifying her to her very core.

_But what would you be doing that you shouldn't do? You're just visiting your friend…_

_…_ _Who happens to be the Chosen One…_

_…_ _At midnight, under the Moon's_ false _light…_

_…_ _To talk about things that could mark you both as heretic._

She shook her head violently, so as to clear her head from the accusatory thoughts. She didn't need anybody telling her how  _wrong_ what she was doing was and that included her own mind. She already knew she was breaking, at least, five different rules, just by being awake at such times.

For the first time in her life, Diana was thankful for her stealth, which made her steps inaudible. Not because she was afraid someone might hear them, but because she was certain that, if she could hear them, they'd just echo the word she'd been thinking since she agreed:  _wrong, wrong, wrong…_

… _And why in the Void did I agree?_

She wanted to smack herself in the face, but the sound of the slap could attract unwanted attention, so she decided not to, if only to avoid being discovered.

She reached Leona's door and approached it, ready to knock, but when her fist was up, ready to begin its' descent towards the door, the door was opened from the inside. The Solari was startled by it, having been unexpected, but stood her ground as she lowered her hand, her eyes falling on the warrior who was standing on the threshold, clad in the Chosen's robes she had never worn until then.

Her golden eyes were alert but, upon seeing it was Diana who stood in front of her, her gaze relaxed. "Hey." She said softly, her voice barely audible.

"Hey." Her mentor said, her pupils darting from one corner of Leona's face to the other. The warrior stood to a side.

"Come in." She said with a small smile, gesturing for Diana to step inside.

Diana gulped once and obeyed, hearing Leona close the door behind her, locking it with a  _click._

"There," The warrior said, turning to look at Diana. "Less risks this way." She added, as if offering a motive for her actions.

"Good thinking." Diana retorted, though her mind was somewhere else as she looked around the room. The warrior's chambers were dimly illuminated by some candles on her desk, the place kept tidy, not a thing out of place, except for the damp Ra-Horak tunic, which hang by the balcony, the steel armory underneath it, discarded on the floor.

Leona walked towards Diana. "What's the matter?" She asked her, having noticed how the Solari was quietly staring into space. "Don't you like the place?"

Diana shook her head a bit. "I was actually admiring it." She rose her brows. "It's surprisingly tidy."

Leona arched an eyebrow. "Surprisingly?"

"Well, to be honest, I thought you'd be a bit messier." Diana looked at Leona then, an apologetic look on her eyes.

But Leona was smiling at her. "Looks can be deceiving, right?"

"I'm still getting to know you." The Solari offered as an explanation for her preconceptions regarding the warrior.

"And I'm still getting to know  _you,"_  Leona offered, "So we're both on the same page. Don't worry about it."

Diana nodded as she cast her gaze on the floor. Some seconds passed before she spoke again, the tension that was keeping her shoulders squared becoming way too much for her to keep bearing it. "Leo."

"Hm?"

"Why did you want me to come here tonight?" She finally said, letting herself breathe out in relief before adding, "What did you want to talk with me about?"

Leona's brows furrowed a bit then. "Want me to lie or to be honest?"

"I don't know." Diana retorted, her nerves getting the best of her. "You can choose whichever."

Leona looked away, out into the night. She took a moment to think her answer. "I wanted to talk about many things." She said, then walked towards the balcony, reaching the stone railing and resting her forearms on it.

Diana stared at her for a moment, letting herself gather her courage, then she moved towards the warrior, standing to her right and mirroring her position. "What things?" She asked her, softly.

"Well, I think we could begin with today's lesson." Leona said, her eyes on the Moon.

Diana pretended not to know what, exactly, Leona was talking about. "What about it?"

Leona's eyes made their way towards Diana's. "I realized that I lied today."

A frown formed on Diana's face. "What? When?"

"When we were sparring, I realized I had lied when I told you I had no questions; I actually do have one."

She didn't know whether the warrior was avoiding some subject or not, but decided not to tempt her luck by being pushy. "Really?" Upon seeing Leona nod, she asked, "What can I help you with, then?"

But then Leona was shaking her head. "No, We'll talk about that later, if you don't mind."

The Ra-Horak's attitude really confused her. "Okay…?"

"Right now," Leona said. "I would like you to talk to me about the Moon."

Diana cleared her throat, more because of a sudden feeling of nervousness than anything else. "What do you want me to tell you about her?"

"Everything you know." Leona thought for a second, then looked at Diana as she added, "Not what the Solari taught you. That I already know; I've read it all in your notes for today. I want you to tell me what  _Diana_ knows, or thinks, about the Moon."

"Leo…"

"I know what I'm asking of you, okay? I know it's not right." Her gaze moved towards the celestial body in question. "But I want to talk about it." She frowned, then shook her head. "I  _need_ to talk about it."

Diana turned to look at her. "Why?"

Leona's eyes moved towards Diana's as she said, "Because it calls to me, just like you told me it does with you." Her gaze turned hard, then, and Diana swore her golden eyes were aglow. "It would seem that our Goddess' messiah happens to be a big miscreant." Something came to her mind as she added, "Just like someone I know."

Diana dared take a step forward, letting her hand find Leona's cheek, the warrior slightly resting her head on her palm. "Are you having doubts about all of this?"

Leona smiled. "Darling, the foundations of my faith have always been nothing but debris." Leona raised her hand, gently pulling Diana's away from her face as she shook her head. "You may think you're the biggest heretic the Solari have ever had, but trust me when I say I'm a bigger miscreant than you." The warrior looked away, into the night, letting go of Diana completely, earning a sad look of Diana's part.

They remained in silence for a minute, the Ra-Horak lost in the stars, the Solari lost in the warrior.

Diana couldn't help but feel Leona's sorrow as if it were her own, for she knew it awfully well. She felt Leona's situation could be comparable to what would have happened if the Sun had chosen her instead of the auburn haired girl: She kept it locked inside her heart, how much she questioned their religion, even if her love for the Sun was strong enough to keep her faithful, but she knew those doubts were not to be had by the  _Chosen One._

Sure, it was bad to be devoted for life to a religion and have some doubts about it, but it was even worse to be said religion's messiah and question everything you supposedly represent and protect.

And here she was, standing in front of the only other Solari, or, at least, soon to be one, who didn't blindly follow the rules, for she didn't find them trustworthy.

"I guess my problem is that I find it hard to stick to the plan." Leona thought out loud. "I can't find it in me, you know?"

"What thing?" Diana asked, still eyeing Leona.

"The will to adapt." Leona's eyes slowly drifted towards the Moon as a smile appeared on her face. "It seems every ounce of my being was designed not to fit in the mold, but to transform the mold so that it fits me." She snorted at her own words and let herself look at Diana, an eyebrow arched. "Did that make any sense?"

Diana thought it out for a second. "You refuse to blindly follow others and opt for learning and understanding, instead." She nodded. "Seems like the right thing to do, to choose what goes with your own beliefs."

Leona snorted, looking away, at the Moon, again. "Seems the right thing to do may get you killed, though."

Diana grimaced as she mirrored Leona's stance and answered, "As per usual."

Silence stretched between them and it was Leona, once again, who broke it. "I don't want to get you in trouble, Diana." She said, as if offering an explanation as to why it was her who she had appealed to. "But you seem to be the only one who gets me, the only one who has gone through something similar: having to adapt to survive."

Diana smirked. "That I've done."

"And that's why I need you so much." Leona blurted out. "That's why I refuse to have you far away from me." She looked at Diana, sincerity on her eyes. "It's not just that I like you, you know?" When she saw Diana raise her brows, she blushed, feeling embarrassed because of how that sentence sounded on her mind; as if she saw Diana as a tool, not a friend. "I mean, I asked you to be my mentor because I really like you, not because of convenience or anything like that, just so you know." She looked away. "You just also happen to be my chance at actually becoming a Solari, instead of staying heretic."

But Diana's mind was somewhere else.

_Because I really like you …_

Suddenly she was back in the stream, pinning Leona to the river bank by her wrists.

_But how do you like me?_

She recalled how her eyes had wandered to Leona's lips.

_And how do I like you?_

She shook her head wildly, so as to clear her mind from the one question she had been dreading and avoiding, the one question which had finally found its' way into her brain.

"Diana?" Leona called, curiosity at the girl's behavior evident on her eyes. "You okay?"

 _No._ "Yeah, I'm fine." Leona didn't look convinced, so she said, "I had drifted off, sorry." The Ra-Horak let out a self-deprecating laugh at her words.

"I'm boring you, aren't I?" She looked away. "Sorry about that." Then she looked at Diana again, a sad smile on her lips. "You can go to your room, if you want."

"No." The Solari blurted out without even thinking, blushing once she realized it. "I mean, you're not boring, Leo. I was thinking about what you were saying and I accidentally got lost in my own thoughts. I didn't mean to make you feel as if you were boring me."

Leona arched an eyebrow. "Am I amusing, then?" She said, a teasing smile on her lips. "I certainly wouldn't want to make your night dull."

Diana laughed. "You don't. Actually, you're quite the entertainer."

The warrior bowed dramatically, then. "Thank you, mistress!" She said, making Diana laugh at her antics.

They fell quiet then, both staring at nothing in particular, letting the cricket sounds fill the air, until Diana spoke once more.

"I think the Moon is one side of the coin, the Sun being the other." She said, as if thinking out loud, making Leona's attention snap towards her. "Like, they're close but not close enough; the distance between one side and the other being way too much and way too little at the same time."

Diana turned around, resting her backside on the railing, a frown of concentration on her face. "I remember my old guardian, Marcus, would tell me how the Sun was always chasing the Moon through the sky, to finally vanish the darkness from our world, but I've always believed it isn't quite like that."

"You don't think the Sun is chasing the Moon?" Leona asked, making Diana look at her.

"Oh, yes, I do believe that." She said, earning a look of confusion from the warrior. "I just don't think the Sun wants to kill the Moon."

"So, if the Sun doesn't chase the Moon because she wants to kill her, why would she?"

Diana snorted as she thought about her answer. "You'll laugh if I tell you."

But Leona was looking at her with seriousness in her eyes. "No. I swear I won't."

Diana stared back, uncertainty holding her back. She turned again and looked at the Moon, her hands on the railing. When had Leona lied to her?

_Never._

So she breathed in, steeling her nerves, for she knew she was about to say the biggest blasphemy a Solari ever could, and spoke.

"I think the Sun is hopelessly in love with the Moon." She let out, afraid to look at Leona as she did so, so her eyes were glued to the night's sky.

But the warrior remained quiet, so Diana let her gaze slowly move towards her…

…Only to find her staring back with big, curious eyes.

"What?" Diana said, suddenly self-conscious.

Leona blinked. "I'm just waiting for you to elaborate." Then, she arched an eyebrow. "Or was that all you were going to say?"

"I…" Diana began, but shut up once she realized the girl was really waiting for her to speak, eager to listen to her point of view, so she sucked up her embarrassment and let herself talk. "I don't know. I mean, the more I think about it, the more sense it makes."

"How so?"

"First of all, how much about astronomy do you know, Leona?" Diana asked, considering the warrior's knowledge, or lack of, important.

"Not much, to be honest." She said, shrugging. "The Rakkor aren't very savvy with the stars and all that stuff."

"Well, do you even know how the universe looks like, then?" Diana questioned, making Leona blush as she shook her head. Diana smiled. "The universe looks like  _that."_  Diana said as she pointed at the stars. "During daytime, the Sun will hide it from our eyes, keep us with our feet on the ground." She smiled, then. "But during nighttime, the Moon allows us to take a peek into space; to glance at their world, the universe in all of its' expansion."

Diana stole a glance at Leona, only to find the warrior gaping at the sky. "You mean to tell me that the stars are always there?"

Diana laughed. "Yes, that's part of what I mean."

"Okay…" Leona said, as if weighing Diana's words on her mind. "What else?"

"It's not just  _what else,_ " Diana said, finding it hard to explain herself. "It's many things, you know? Not just a point or two to be made."

Leona stared at her, a frown on her face. The frown was gone, though, as an idea came to mind. "Well then, why don't you start from the very beginning and end at the very end?" She offered, a smile on her lips.

Diana chuckled. "It's going to take some time."

Upon hearing her, Leona climbed the stone railing, sitting on it, letting her legs dangle in the air. She glanced at a curious Diana and patted the spot next to her. "Unless you've got something better to do, I think it's safe to say we both got all night."

Diana smiled. "Fine." She said, as she climbed the railing and sat down next to Leona. Once she did, the warrior scooted closer, leaving no room whatsoever between them, a big grin on her face, making Diana laugh.

Then Diana was speaking, the Solari telling the Ra-Horak everything she knew about astronomy, respect for her deity and fear for her enemy left aside, if only to keep her words neutral, so as to let Leona give it the interpretation she preferred.

She told her about the Moon and the constellations, confessing to Leona how the Sun was nothing but another star. Surely, the biggest one out there, but a star nonetheless. She said some stuff about sailors, how they navigated through the seas with ease thanks to the stars and their positioning in the night sky, and how the Moon influenced the tides. She let her know about how it was the Sun's own light the one the Moon borrowed every night to glow over their heads.

She told her everything she knew, from the very beginning to the very end, the warrior never interrupting, letting the hours pass, though dawn was still far away.

Once she was done, she remained quiet, her eyes on Leona as the girl took it all in. The warrior was frowning and, after a moment of silence, she nodded once.

"The stars are the Moon's most loyal followers, aren't they?" She asked at no one in particular, though Diana nodded in response.

"It is known by our religion that they serve her, yes."

Leona smirked. "Then that makes the Sun one of her followers, too, by default, doesn't it?"

Diana frowned.  _She's right._ "Yes."

Leona looked at her, then. "Then why would the Sun chase the Moon just to kill her?" Her smirk turned into a smile. "I think you're right when you say they're in love." She looked up at the Moon, still high in the dark, night's sky. "I think the Sun fell in love with the Moon at some point."

"That wouldn't explain why they are not together, though." Diana said. "There are some points that my theories and beliefs have not been able to explain." She shrugged. "Guess I don't have all answers."

Leona thought about her words, then said, "No, but it explains why the Sun chases after her, why the Sun is a star."

Diana arched an eyebrow. "What about why the Sun doesn't allow us to see the galaxy?"

Leona looked at Diana, thinking about it for a second. A smile slowly appeared on her face as she said, "The Sun seems to be a jealous lover, who refuses to share the sky with all those other stars, who have also fallen in love with the Moon. Then, at night," She continued, looking at the Moon. "She'll give up her place in the sky, if only to let her lover take over, giving up her light so that everyone can see and admire the love of her life."

Diana remained quiet, staring at Leona as if she had said just what she needed to hear, as if she had all of the missing pieces to the puzzle her religion was.

_And maybe she does._

Leona noticed her staring and chuckled, suddenly feeling nervous. "You probably think I just got all sappy and this is all stupid."

"No, no," Diana hurriedly said. "Not at all." She chuckled. "After all, it was me who said the Sun and the Moon were in love."

Leona smiled at her. "I think I like your way of viewing things. Mind if I adopt it?"

Diana grinned. "I'd be honored."

The warrior chuckled and looked away, for she felt Diana's gaze too intense. Not that she minded the closeness; on the contrary, she liked it.

She just didn't feel like blushing, feeling the whole situation too intimate.

 _Like Elder Juni and Elder Suhr?,_ the uncanny voice inside her head whispered, letting the idea bounce inside her skull.

 _Like what happened back in the stream?,_ it asked her again, making the girl nervous with its' implications.

Making her remember something she had wanted to talk to Diana about.

_The stream…_

"Diana," She began, making the girl look at her. "About today's training…"

The Solari's smile was gone. "What about it?"

"I…" Leona began, but didn't know how to continue. Her pupils scanned Diana's face and she allowed herself to really look at the other girl; the dark, straight hair, the faint blush on her cheeks…

… the worried look on her blue eyes.

_No, not worried. Scared._

So the Ra-Horak thought about something she had said before, something she considered to be her ultimate truth.  _I'm the weakling._

She lacked the courage to face whatever that whispery voice inside her head suggested. "I wanted to apologize." She finally said, switching her course of action, opting for an apology rather than an interrogatory about what in the Void was happening.

It took Diana by surprise. "Apologize?" When Leona nodded, she asked, "About what?"

"About being so pushy and intrusive." Leona said, her head down. "I know you Solari here in the temple aren't as physical and touchy feely as us Ra-Horak and still I didn't respect it. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Diana let out a breath of relief she hadn't known she was holding. "Oh, it's alright. You didn't, though."

Leona looked at her from the corner of her eye. "No?"

Diana shook her head. "You don't make me uncomfortable at all."

Leona sat up then, purposefully getting closer to Diana, mere inches from her face as she asked her again, "You sure?"

But the Solari's mind was unfiltered, no second thought about her words allowed as she blurted out, "Completely. I actually like you being close to me." Realizing just then what she had just said, her blush deepening.

"Really?"

 _Too late to back down, now._ "Yes."

Leona chuckled and, taking advantage of Diana's permission, she got her mouth close to the Solari's ear as she said, "Does this mean you'll allow me to turn you into a full on Ra-Horak, with our disrespect for others' personal space and all?"

Diana could  _feel_  her smiling. "If that's my Sun's will…"

Leona pulled away enough to look at Diana's eyes, that damned smile still on her face. "You must, then, don't you?"

She felt as if she didn't have control of her own body as she allowed herself to rest her forehead against Leona's. "I must." She whispered, smirking at how the warrior's breath hitched a bit, ignoring how she was blushing just as much as the Ra-Horak.

 _Follow our game, weakling,_ the voice inside Leona's head said, daring her, taunting her.

But instead, Leona pulled away, letting out a nervous chuckle.  _In that we do agree,_ she thought.  _I am the weakling._

Diana didn't seem to notice her internal battle, though, as she chuckled, too, looking away, to the sky, only to realize the Moon and the stars were gone, a pinkish hue appearing far away, on the horizon.

"Twilight." Leona said as her gaze followed Diana's.  _Where had time gone?_

"And I haven't prepared today's lesson, yet." Diana thought out loud, grimacing. Leona's laugh made her look at the warrior.

"Guess we'll have to wing it together, today."

"I guess so." She sighed. "I think I should go back, if only to keep up appearances."

Leona arched an eyebrow at her. Diana ignored it as she got up and slowly made her way towards the door.

She was about to open it when she remembered something and turned to look at Leona, who was still sitting on the railing, looking away from her. "Leo," She said, so as to call her attention, making the Chosen One turn to look at her. "What was the question you had about yesterday's lesson?"

"Oh," Leona let out, her eyebrows going to her hairline as she recalled she actually had something to ask. "Yes, that." She said, completely pivoting her body, so that she was sitting facing Diana. "Last lesson was about the Moon and her evils and whatever…" Leona said, as if trying to prepare Diana for the question.

"Yes."

"If the Sun chooses her champion to represent her in a mortal form and fight for her in the war between light and dark," She said, perfectly reciting some terms of the lesson, "Wouldn't that mean the Moon can choose a champion, too?"

Diana frowned, walking some steps back towards Leona. "What do you mean?"

"What I'm trying to say is: If there's a Chosen of the Sun, shouldn't there also be a Chosen of the Moon?"

Diana thought about it for a second. Never, in all of her years as a Solari, did she know nor learn anything about that. Surely, every Rakkor knew everything they needed to know about the Moon; her cruelty, her evil nature, how she represented death, darkness, deceit and anything bad in Runeterra, really. They all also knew about the Lunari, her former followers, who had been exterminated by the Solari and the previous Chosen of the Sun, who had died heroically in the final battle between Solari and Lunari.

But someone who was willing to fight in the name of the Moon, like the Ra-Horak do for the Sun?

Let alone, a  _Lunari_ who was given the powers of the Moon by their dark, selfish, false goddess?

No. She had never heard anything like that.

The idea, on one hand, seemed ridiculous. They all knew the Moon wasn't willing to share her power with anyone, specially not with someone as undeserving as a mere mortal, a human being.

But on the other hand, considering the Sun chose someone to represent her in this realm…

_It would make an awful lot of sense._

"Honestly, Leo? I don't know." She finally said.

"It is something to think about, isn't it?" Leona asked as she walked towards the door. "After all, if the Chosen One has the power of the Sun at their disposal, it would mean they are too strong for a common human being to defeat them." She had her hand on the doorknob, Diana approaching her with a concentrated frown as she said, "It would take someone as powerful to kill them, wouldn't it? The other side of their coin."

Diana nodded absentmindedly as Leona opened the door for her, letting the Solari walk out. "Yeah, it's something to think about."

"Anyways," Leona said, smiling at the girl once more. "See you in a while, Di."

"See you in a while." Diana said back, a smirk on her lips.

But her mind was elsewhere, imagining how would it be if Leona's musings were correct.

_What would it be like if you had a counterpart, if you really did have an other side of your coin?_

She felt something ancient watching her when her mind elaborated a final question;

_Who could ever be the Moon's Chosen One?_


	10. Chapter 10

Leona climbed the final steps before reaching their cliff, basically dragging her feet over the ground, a yawn escaping her lips.

The sound alarmed a very awake Diana, who was already there, a big book laying on the floor near her feet as she stretched a bit. She looked at Leona, "Hey you," She said as the warrior yawned once more, making her smile. "Someone's sleepy?"

"I don't know how you do it," Leona said, her smooth voice gone, replaced by a husky one which cracked in all of the right places. "I can barely stand."

"Nobody knows how I do it." Diana said, still smirking at Leona. "Not even I know how I do it."

"You must be a nightcrawler." Leona retorted, smirking at the girl as she walked the final steps towards her.

"Woah, someone remembers yesterday's lesson, I see!" Diana said enthusiastically, teasing the warrior, who scoffed at her words.

"Please, I spent all night studying."

"The wrong things." The Solari said, but there was something strange to her tone.

Something that appealed to Leona, making her blush.

 _ **She's no weakling like you** , _the voice in Leona's head echoed.

"So, what's today's lesson?" Leona said, trying to drown the sounds in her head.

"Right," Diana said as she picked up the book from the floor. "Today's lesson is this," She approached Leona, showing her the book. The warrior squinted at it, lazily rubbing the sleep off her eyes so as to have a better look at it.

"Don't torture me like this, Diana." She said after giving up in her poor attempts at reading the old, dusty book's cover.

"Torture you how?" She retorted, confused.

"I can't read this early." Leona said, making Diana snort.

"Okay, lazy bum, I'll tell you." Diana said, teasing the warrior. "Today's lesson will be about the Chosen of the Sun's responsibilities, powers and abilities."

Leona raised a brow, tilting her head to a side. "Consider me intrigued."

"This won't be an easy lesson for me to teach you, for these are all things only a Chosen of the Sun can ever experience," Diana said somewhat apologetically. "So you will have to learn directly from your predecessor." The Solari offered Leona the book, who took it and inspected it.

"This was written by the last Chosen?"

"Not exactly; it was written by one of the many who came before him, who came before you, so as to enlighten future generations of Chosen One's about their link with our Goddess and how it works." Diana frowned. "I read it all, but I can't fully comprehend some things, mostly because of a lack of firsthand experience." She shrugged, then, adding, "Guess you'll have a better shot at understanding it than me."

Leona frowned at the book, letting out a grunt of contemplation. She sat down on the ground, Diana doing so, too, and opened the book, skimming through the pages. She noticed someone had jolted down some notes on the margins.

"I took the liberty to write some stuff over there, explaining what I could." Diana offered as Leona stole a glance in her direction, then let her eyes go back to the book.

"Thanks." Leona let out as she read her ancestor's writings. It wasn't very complex; she could understand it, but she lacked the clarity of mind to read it all without effort nor problem whatsoever, the grogginess of her lack of a good night's sleep making it hard for her to concentrate.

Still, she would try. "Mind if I read?"

Diana shook her head. "Tell me when you're done."

* * *

Minutes ticked by and turned into an hour, Leona still trying to concentrate on her task, Diana taking the time to rest a bit and save her energies, letting herself lay against a tree. The Solari slowly opened her eyes, checking on her student.

Finding her frowning, squinting at the pages and rubbing at her eyes.

"What's the matter?" She said, moving closer to Leona, her eyes falling on the book, trying to find the source of Leona's confusion.

"I can't." Leona said, rubbing her eyes. She shook her head and, upon seeing Diana's look of worry, she rephrased herself. "I can't focus. I'm-" She began to say, but a yawn cut her off before she could finish, "Too tired."

"Hm." Diana stifled the yawn she caught from Leona. " _Too_ tired?" She asked as Leona nodded, her eyes closing on their own accord as she battled to keep them open. She thought for a second, then said, "Change of plan. Would you like to hear it?" Upon seeing the warrior tilt her head in question, she went on, "If you promise you'll read the book later, and that you'll read it until you can recite it on your sleep and backwards, I'll let you rest for now a bit and then we'll spar a bit. How does that sound?"

Leona's tired frown slowly and lazily turned into a grin. "Sounds marvelous."

Diana smiled at her. "Okay, then. You can rest against that tree if you want." She said, pointing at the tree she had been laying against before, but saw Leona eye it and then stand slowly as she narrowed her eyes at her. "What?"

Silently, Leona grabbed Diana by the hand and lifted her up, making her stand. Then, she guided her towards the tree. "Sit." She ordered, though her voice was soft as ever.

A ver confused Diana obeyed. "What...?" Before she could say anything else, the warrior sat down on the ground, laying down so that her head was on Diana's lap.

Leona slowly closed her eyes and ignored the sense of blood rushing to her face as she heard her mysterious mind companion.

**_Finally you join the game and play._ **

But Diana couldn't ignore her own blush. "Leo...?"

"I don't want you to abandon me while I sleep." She said as an excuse to her behavior, a playful smile on her lips. "It'll just be fifteen minutes, I swear." She said, her voice weakening as she allowed herself to relax into a slumber.

Diana sighed, pretending to be annoyed by her cheeky nature. "Fine," She said, as she settled against the tree, letting Leona do the same on her lap. "Only fifteen minutes, though."

"Only fifteen minutes." Leona repeated, though she wasn't really paying attention.

And as minutes ticked by, this time with the warrior's eyes closed instead of the Solari's, Diana allowed herself to relax, her hand slowly approaching Leona's hair.

She saw the Ra-Horak sigh when she ran her fingers through her lion-like mane, her touch as gentle as if it were velvet on skin.

She went on playing with the warrior's hair, slowly feeling herself falling under the same tired spell, her eyelids becoming heavier and heavier with each passing second, until both of them weren't awake anymore.

* * *

Leona stood in the middle of a completely dark room, her eyes straining to adjust to the light, trying to see something, but there was nothing there except the vast darkness.

It felt strange, she thought; to know that you were asleep and this was all in your head, just a product of your imagination as you slept, as you dreamed.

"Guess I'm completely bonkers." She let out, snorting at herself. "What an awful lucid dream, this one."

"Except is no dream, weakling." The ancient voice retorted, making her flinch and stand defensively, her sight trying to scan her surroundings in search for the intruder.

"I'm getting tired of you." Leona said, baring her teeth. "Tell me; are you a product of my imagination? Have I gone mad already?"

She couldn't see the intruder but, somehow, she felt it smiling. "No, I'm not." A pause. "And you're still very sane of your mind, don't worry." That voice said, as if being able to predict Leona's thoughts before they finished forming.

Anguish gripped Leona's heart. "Then show yourself!" She said, her feral expression making her teeth look more like fangs.

"I will, eventually, weakling, just not yet." The voice said as it transformed, going from unrecognizable to something more familiar… a female voice.

Leona snorted. "You don't sound so threatening like that." She said, a taunting smile on her lips.

"Please, don't be a buffoon." The voice said, making her scowl. "I don't mean to sound threatening."

"Yet you hide inside my head, whispering nonsense when I don't need it."

"Nonsense? You really are a  _weakling,_ aren't you?"

" _Shut up!"_ Leona roared, making the dark room tremble with the sound of her voice. Silence ensued, making Leona believe she had won.

But then her companion talked again. "Wow, how scary.  _Oh,_ I'm  _shaking_ with  _fear!"_  The intruder said in an exaggerated, fearful tone, making Leona  _furious._ "Are you done rampaging like a  _child?_ _"_

"Consider this conversation over." Leona said as she noticed a door forming itself in front of her, the handle appearing last, calling the warrior to it.

The intruder chuckled as Leona opened the door. "For now." She said as the Ra-Horak walked away, into a better dream.

* * *

The first thing she did as soon as she woke up was to keep her eyes closed, her breathing slow. It was a thing she had picked up from the Ra-Horak camp; whenever she woke up in an unknown location, a place she didn't recognize easily, she would pretend to still be asleep for a while until she deemed it safe or at least had enough information to  _make it_  safe.

_Golden Ra-Horak Rule: If you wake up and can't recall whatever happened when you went to sleep, fake it until you do or until you form a new procedure plan._

Just like the rest of her warrior tribe, Leona had been trained for anything, even for something as unusual as someone kidnapping her while she was unconscious.

She knew she hadn't been kidnapped, though. She remembered everything that had taken place before she fell asleep, so no threat wasn't forcing her to rely on her honed abilities.

What  _did_ force her to remain still was the feeling of a soft hand going through her hair.

And she knew exactly who the owner of that hand was.

_Diana._

She tried, but she couldn't help the content sigh that escaped her in the form of a deep, long exhalation. Thankfully, Diana didn't think anything of it, her reaction being only a small, almost inaudible sound at the back of her throat.  _It sounds like contempt._

Leona relished on Diana's administrations for a bit before slowly opening her eyes, letting the girl know she was awake.

She saw Diana smile at her. "Hey there." She said, her voice softer than ever.

"Hey there." She said back, her voice husky. "Fifteen minutes spot on, right?"

"An hour and a half."

Leona's eyes widened. "What?"

Diana smirked, making an affirmation sound. "Guess you were really tired."

The warrior frowned. "Guess I really was tired." She repeated, not moving from her spot, for Diana's caresses had never ceased and she didn't want them to stop.

But then the hand on her hair halted on its' movements just as Diana frowned. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Leona's frown deepened. Truth was she had never been good at remembering her dreams once she woke up, being able to remember them on rare occasions. This time, though, she recalled being in a dark room… talking to something… someone…  _How did it go, again? Shit, I got no clue._ "I can't really remember if I did. Why?"

Diana's frown relaxed as she raised a brow and her hand began moving again, making Leona relax onto her, her eyes closing on their own accord. "I… may have fallen asleep, too, until you began moving around way too much."

Leona snorted. "Did I wake up the slumber champion?" When she saw Diana nod, she added, "Now that's an incredible accomplishment not anybody can achieve."

Diana smirked. "It makes you deserving of a trophy, really." She said, making Leona laugh. When the warrior calmed down, she went on. "When I saw you thrashing around, I brushed your hair for a bit and you calmed down, so I guess you were having a nightmare."

"I've never been any good at remembering my dreams, though I do know that I tend to move a lot if I'm having nightmares." Leona offered as an explanation, remembering how her old friends would shake her awake whenever she had a bad dream. Her expression turned apologetic. "I'm really sorry if I woke you."

"It's fine." Diana shrugged it off. "Not like I was expecting to sleep too much, anyway."

The warrior groggily stood up, letting her mentor do the same. "Guess I'll have to read it now, right?" She asked Diana as she rubbed her eyes.

"Normally, I'd say yes, but you caught me in a good mood." Leona heard Diana say, the sleep suddenly gone from her eyes as she turned to see the Solari.

"What?" A smile. "Really?"

Diana merely nodded. "Now you're the mentor." The girl said as she looked away, somewhat nervous. "And I'm the student."

Diana could sense Leona approaching, a predator's smile on her face as she turned into someone else, the calm Sun's Champion being left behind, the girl choosing the feral hunter in her soul over their deity's gift. "Today's lesson will be far more interesting for someone with your abilities."

Diana could feel herself blushing as she saw, out of the corner of her eye, the huntress approaching her. "My abilities?" She questioned, arching an eyebrow.

Leona circled her until she was in her line of vision, their eyes meeting. "In no lesson did we fight, or am I wrong?"

Diana's eyes widened as Leona's narrowed viciously.

The Solari dodged the punch that was aimed for her nose just in time, feeling the force of the hit that would have knocked her down going right over her head. Diana skipped backwards, creating room between Leona and her, her arms slightly raised, ready to react accordingly to Leona's attacks.

"Nice." Leona recognized the girl's reaction speed. "You're fast on both your mind and your body. That will save your life on multiple occasions, just like it saved your nose mere seconds ago." She said, raising her fists and falling into an offensive stance.

"You know; I'm starting to get used to your lessons beginning so…  _abruptly."_  Diana said, a challenging smirk on her face as the adrenaline began to rush through her veins to every part of her body.

"Aw, I always hoped you'd never learn that." Leona retorted with a mocking, sad tone. "I loved the look of surprise on your face each time our classes began."

"This time you would've left me with a broken nose, Leo."

"Spare the rod and spoil the child." The Ra-Horak circled Diana, the Solari mimicking her if only to keep herself away from the threat the warrior posed.

"Now  _that's_ cruel." Diana retorted, surprised at Leona. "Did you just kill the Peace-lover again?"

Leona laughed, but nodded. "If I'm to teach you something valuable, I'm to teach you in the way I learned: by trial and  _painful_  error." The girl analyzed Diana's stance. "Let me begin with this: You're standing awfully wrong. Your feet are  _way_ too far from each other and that's no fighting stance; that's a  _fleeing_ stance."

 _I know, I want to flee right now. "_ What difference does it make?"

Leona stood completely still for a second, then she lunged for Diana's left leg, which was on front, closer to the warrior.

Diana couldn't even attempt to protect herself as the auburn haired girl swiftly brought her down to the ground, her back landing roughly on the dirt, her head reeling from the hit it took against the ground, while Leona positioned herself on top of the girl, locking her in place with her legs, placing them to each side of Diana's hips.

"The difference is that it makes it harder for you to move fast." Leona said, giving Diana time to gather her surroundings, knowing the girl was listening, either way. "With your feet too far away from each other, it takes more time for you to bring your whole body from one side to the other, since you'll always tend to let your weight rest on one of your sides; left or right. You were resting your weight on your strong, heavy side: your right, so if I attacked by surprise, coming for your left, you'd have a harder time avoiding me and I'd have an easier time bringing you down, since there's no support for your weak side, your weight locking your right in place."

"Okay…" Diana said, slowly, as she tried to make some sense out of Leona's words. "Should we try again, then?"

"We'll get to that… in a minute, when you release yourself."

"What." It wasn't a question, but a complaint dressed as one.

"You have a bigger problem now," Leona said, an amused smirk on her lips. "I have the upper hand right now and I could do some  _serious_ damage from here," She said as she brought her hands up, already turned into fists. Upon seeing Diana's look of pure terror, she added, "I could also apply some joint locks or chokeholds and trust me, you should fear those more than these two." She waved her fists a bit so as to emphasize her words.

"Fuck."

Leona laughed. "Indeed. So," She said, violently letting herself fall closer to Diana, her hands landing to each side of Diana's head, keeping her above the Solari, making the raven haired girl tremble. "How are you getting out of this one?" Her voice had turned low, viciously so.

Diana shouldn't like it.

She did either way.

But the cruelty in Leona's eyes, the expertise with which she could display it, kept her heart beating fast out of pure, unadulterated fear.

_And nothing else._

Too scared, frightened out of her wits. She couldn't analyze it being in a state like that one.

Or so she'd say to herself, if only to escape a reality she wasn't ready to face.

For now.

"I can't," Diana finally responded. "You're bigger than me."

Leona chuckled, "Being bigger or smaller means nothing while on the ground." She smiled, "That's the fun of grappling."

Diana frowned, completely confused. "… _Grappling?"_

Leona's brows shot up. She blinked. "You don't know what that is?" Upon seeing the girl shake her head, the warrior returned to her sitting position, unconsciously letting Diana breathe again. "Okay, then, let's start from the beginning." She looked at Diana with a curious look. "Just how much do you know about  _actual_ fighting?"

Diana propped herself up, resting her weight on her elbows. "I know how to fight..." She searched for a word. "Standing, I guess."

Leona made a humming noise as she thought. "Well then, let's begin here," She said as she lifted a finger in the air. "Lesson number one about combat: When we are fighting against an opponent, our objective is to defeat our enemy. To do so, we must reach a secondary objective, which is…?" She looked at Diana, expecting her to complete her sentence.

"…Not dying?"

Leona laughed and shook her head. "Getting the upper hand." She said, correcting Diana's guess. "You got that?"

Diana nodded, feeling an embarrassed blush reddening her cheeks.

"Okay. Now, lesson number two about combat: When we fight without weapons, there are two techniques we can use. Technique number one is striking."

"Punches and kicks." Diana thought out loud, making Leona nod.

"Punches and kicks. Then you have technique number two, which is grappling; very close quarters combat that consists of applying different maneuvers on your opponent's body, so as to manipulate it and use it against them, thus giving you advantage. The best fighter will always know how to use a good combination of both striking and grappling." Leona explained, "Though striking is easier to learn, grappling is, by far, a more dangerous tool. Being so close to your opponent, you become way more vulnerable but, at the same time, you turn into a bigger, deadlier threat, as long as you know how to wrestle."

"That means you'll always win, for you'll always know more than I do."

"Not exactly." The Ra-Horak said with a smile.

And thus made Diana frown. "How come?"

"When fighting, if you opt to strike rather than grapple, you must know and accept that the element of luck plays an enormous role, one which it doesn't play when grappling."

"Uh…" Diana was even more confused than before.

"Let's say a tiny, newbie fighter is up against a humongous, expert one. If the tiny one dodges every punch the big one throws and at least tries to respond with some of their own, they may get lucky and land one. Sometimes, that's all it takes: One hit and, if the big one was taken by surprise, couldn't dodge or block it," Leona whistled as she let her hand fall to the ground with a noisy thud. "Down they go."

Diana's eyes darted towards the fallen hand, then back to Leona's pupils as she went on explaining, "Grappling is different; luck has no role in here, for it's a game of strategy: if you play your cards right, you get the upper hand. If not, your enemy does, as long as they can see through the chinks in your armor, the mistakes on your technique."

"That just means you'll always win."

"If I could defeat Commander Khait with a stranglehold, you can definitely learn enough to beat me, someday. Now," Leona said, grabbing Diana's hands and pulling from them, making her back hit the ground and taking that moment to return to her position from before. "How can you free yourself from this one?"

"I don't know." The Solari said as she frowned at the warrior on top of her.

"Think fast, for time is running out." Before Diana could make sense of her words, Leona began to move, grabbing one of Diana's arms and bringing it close to the Solari's head.

Panicking, Diana attempted to release her hand from Leona, but the warrior was stronger.

Leona's gaze softened when she noticed Diana's breathing turning erratic. "Fear will make it hard to think in situations like this, but you must not lose your head; you must use it." She said, as she slowed down her movements, taking her time to form the head and arm choke she was planning on using.

The time she took, though, was far too long, giving Diana enough time to think her words through.

"Head…?"

Leona was left seeing stars when the scared Solari slammed her forehead against her temple.

The impact hurt Diana too, but the adrenaline of the fight kept her from actually feeling it, so she took advantage of Leona's condition, pushing her to a side and sitting atop her.

"Now I've got the upper hand." She said, somewhat triumphantly.

"When I said  _use your head,_  I didn't mean it in the  _literal_ sense, you know?" Leona said while she rubbed her head's side.

"But it worked, didn't it?"

"Being on top doesn't necessarily mean that you have the advantage." She said, a sly smile on her lips as she noticed how one of her legs wasn't trapped underneath Diana.

Before the girl could notice, Leona freed her trapped leg from Diana's, locking the Solari in place by hooking them behind her back. Then, as quickly as possible, she snaked her arm between Diana's own and her torso, then brought her free hand up, clasping them together and trapping the oblivious girl in an arm bar, using enough force to make Diana realize the position she's in, but carefully avoiding hurting the girl.

"It's all about seeing the chink in the other's armor." Leona repeated herself as she felt Diana struggle, trying to release herself. She didn't worry, though, for Diana's attempts were futile, for the moment. Once she heard the other girl groan in frustration, she loosened her grip slightly, so as to give her a break. "Remember this golden grappling rule, though; If there was a way you lost the upper hand, there's twice as many chances for you to get it back."

"This is frustrating."

Leona laughed. "It will be, but you'll learn." She released Diana and gently pushed her away, standing up and offering the girl her hand, helping her up. "Let's try again from the top." Diana frowned and Leona knew she was doubting herself, so she placed her hand on her shoulder and said, "No one was born with the knowledge, everyone had to start somewhere and learn from there. I'll stop to explain whenever necessary. Now," She got into a fighting stance. "Let's try again."

Diana smirked, then stood ready, her feet closer than before. Leona saw it and smiled, but said nothing.

"Let's."

* * *

They had been fighting all day, twilight already upon them, their battle having moved from the cliff as they wandered through the woods, both avoiding and looking for each other.

Diana's breathing was ragged, her body a mess of bruises and sweat. Surely, Leona wasn't a merciful teacher. Not that she wanted her to, though.  _Spare the rod and spoil the child._

She noticed with no short amount of satisfaction that her mentor wasn't any better than her, as Leona wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, her eyes never leaving Diana's figure, her breathing as erratic and her body as bruised.

_Well, not as bruised. I have double, if not triple the marks. But still, I got her a few times and those markings are the evidence._

Leona moved towards her, her fists up. Diana responded by moving to a side, more specifically, Leona's right side, which was up front, closer to the Solari.

_Circle her by her weak side._

Leona smirked. "Good thinking, fast learner," She said, as if she could read the girl's mind. "But my weak side is actually my left."

Before Diana could process it, Leona moved her right leg, placing it behind her, leaving her left side up front at the same time as she threw out her arm in a powerful punch directed for Diana's cheek.

The Solari could only close her eyes as she received the strong blow, falling to the ground. She felt Leona moving, so she opened her eyes once more while she brought her legs close to her chest.

 _Just in time,_  she thought as she saw Leona preparing to take the fighting to the ground. When Leona approached, Diana kicked out with all of her strength, hitting Leona on her stomach, leaving her breathless.

Swiftly, Diana got on her feet and tried to tackle Leona to the ground, but the Ra-Horak dodged her just in time, backing away enough, so as to give herself time to catch her breath.

"You fought against me in the mirrored stance this whole time," Diana realized the warrior had been tricking her as she also took the time to breathe again.

"You didn't think I'd face you without a trick up my sleeve, did you?" Leona offered, a sly smile on her lips.

Diana's expression was a twin to the warrior's. "Clever."

As Diana lunged for Leona, the battle went on, both girls unaware of the scholar who watched them.

Helena stared in awe at both the Chosen One and her best friend, unable to believe it all; First, she had never expected the Ra-Horak to be such deadly warriors. Second, she had never expected her best friend to be skilled enough to keep up with a Ra-Horak.

_And the best of them, to top it all off._

She had been sent to retrieve them for dawn was upon them, but she couldn't intervene, couldn't stop the warriors as she ogled them.

"They truly are wonderful, aren't they?" She heard a smooth, velvet like voice said. Helena almost jumped out of her skin as she turned to look at its' owner.

"Mistress!" She said, blushing upon being discovered. "I'm sorry for my tardiness on bringing them back, it's just…"

"I can see why you're taking so long, dear." Sekhet said, her eyes never leaving Diana and Leona. "I'm amazed, too. Who would have known what our Diana was capable of?"

"She's holding herself up amazingly."

"Holding herself up? Darling, she's bruised and battered the  _best_ Ra-Horak the tribe had to offer." Sekhet corrected Helena. "I'd say she's giving the Chosen One exactly the kind of sparring partner she had demanded."

"Which kind would that be?"

"The kind capable of giving her such a hard time, she could be brought down if not careful enough." She said, her eyes glued to Diana, just like Helena's. "Let's give them a bit more of time, then we'll call them. Alright?"

"Alright."

* * *

Night was above them.

Despite her desires to call Diana to her chambers and talk of forbidden things, Leona had decided not to.

Not because of anything else but her will to keep the promise she had made to the Solari mere hours ago.

_I have to read my goddamn lesson._

She threw herself on her bed, feeling relaxed after a long, hot bath, the simple robes she was wearing feeling extremely soft on her skin.

The felt a blush creeping up on her as she thought about the bathrooms. The Ra-Horak bathing chambers were also communal, everyone sharing them without any kind of modesty keeping them from using them, but the Solari just made it all feel…  _different._ Since her arrival, all the acolytes would leave when she arrived and Leona wasn't sure if this was due to respect or fear or whatever.

 _Your mere presence makes them nervous, you really think they'd get naked around you?,_ she remembered Diana asking her with a snort one time she had wondered about it out loud in front of her.

_Diana._

_Would Diana be nervous about that same thing, too?_

Sekhet and Helena had kept her busy; while Helena had gone to look for them due to nightfall approaching, Sekhet had another task at hand. The Mistress had obtained an old scroll written in the Old Rakkor and needed her protégée to translate it.

 _I surely hope they never find out about the other texts being in the Old Rakkor, too,_ Diana had whispered with an amused smirk before leaving, following after Sekhet.

Obviously, the girl would bathe after it.

_But would you have bathed if I had been there, too?_

When she realized what she was thinking, Leona blushed and shook her head.

_The lesson. Stop deviating from the task at hand and learn that fucking lesson._

She quickly moved towards the book and began reading.

As minutes ticked by, she slowly, but surely, began to memorize what she was learning. The book started with the Chosen of the Sun's equipment: The Zenith Blade, the Shield of Daybreak, the Golden Armor of the Solari…

…then the book talked about the supernatural abilities she would acquire once she passed the Sun's trial.

_This is far more interesting._

" _The Chosen of the Sun will be able to manipulate sunlight at will, using it to attack enemies, protect allies and even heal themselves_." Leona's brows shot up. "Not bad."

Her eyes landed on the next paragraph. " _But do not forget, Champion, that you're the Sun's Avatar, not the Sun herself, for this means you'll…"_ She trailed off as she read, finding it hard to believe her eyes.

Suddenly remembering that strange nightmare, anguish taking over her heart again.

 _ **Finish reading that sentence**_ _,_ the  _female_ voice inside of her head ordered.

And she obliged.

"… _for this means you'll be nothing but a soldier; The most powerful of soldiers, one she can communicate with, her presence on your mind being constant."_ Leona lowered the book, closing her eyes.

 _ **Now** ,_ the voice said.  ** _Ask me who I am, dear. You didn't ask before._**

"Right, I was too busy screaming at you." Leona said out loud, suddenly fearing her past actions.

_**That you were.** _

"Tell me," Leona began, "Are you..."

_**Yes?** _

She gulped.

"Are you my goddess?"

The voice laughed inside her head.

_**That I am, dear. I'm the Sun.** _

Leona frowned, feeling fear's claws tearing her heart apart.

 _ **No reason to feel like this, my champion,**_ the Sun's voice had turned gentler than usual, her typical taunting gone.  _ **You are to be my most powerful mortal ally and I won't tolerate any harm being brought upon you, even if such harm comes from yourself.**_

"It's coming from you, not from me."

The Sun laughed.  _ **Okay, an apology is due, then. I'm sorry, my dear.**_

"But aren't you supposed to appear once I'm chosen as your champion…?" Leona said, trailing off, feeling as if her mind were about to explode.

 _ **Darling, the one who chooses the champion is**_ **me,** _ **not the**_ **Solari** _ **,**_ her voice sounded strong and Leona wondered why would the Sun say the name of her followers as if it were a blasphemy.  _ **You already are my Avatar. Whatever ritual you have to go through is just a mere formality.**_

"Can I manipulate sunlight, then?"

_**No, Not yet.** _

"Hey!" Leona frowned. "How come? Aren't I your  _Avatar?"_

_**Yes, but no. I'm testing you.** _

" _Testing_ me?"

_**Put the book upside down.** _

Leona arched an eyebrow, but obeyed nonetheless.

_**Now open it and go to the third page, counting from this side.** _

Leona opened the book, but no without question. "You do realize this wouldn't be page three, right?"

_**Just do as I say!** _

"Okay, okay!" Leona said as she moved through the pages. "No need to scream at me." The warrior reached the third page and frowned, noticing some barely visible markings on the pages.

_**See something funny? Read it.** _

" _Chosen One, the path to becoming the Sun's Avatar is a rocky one. Our Goddess does not trust easily; you will have to earn it through hard work. Once you prove yourself worthy, she'll gift you with the ancient power and knowledge of the Chosen of the Sun. Fear not, for she'll guide you and help you through your journey. May the light shine on your path."_

_**And I believe the light** _ **will** _**shine, dear Leona.** _

Leona frowned, shaking her head. "I don't get it. What is this? Why is it… Why is it hidden?"

She felt the Sun's smirk.  _ **I'm glad you noticed that.**_

"What does this mean?"

_**That is for me to know and for you to find out. Good night, Leona.** _

"Wait!" Leona said, the Sun's dismissal raising more questions than answers, but she felt her deity's absence.

She was all alone, now. That she knew.

_Guess I'm not sleeping much, tonight._

She flipped the book again, resuming her reading.


	11. Chapter 11

Days had passed, the Crowning Ceremony's day being upon them.

Both the Chosen of the Sun and her mentor awoke before dawn. It was required they did so.

Just as it was required that Diana waited for Leona by her bedroom's door, so that she could walk her to the temple's gardens, where the ceremony would take place. As dictated by tradition, she wasn't clad in her Ra-Horak robes, but the correct clothing for the Crowning: her white, scholar robes and a golden headband to keep her hair in place and make her stand out as the Sun's Champion's mentor.

The door opened and Leona walked out of her room, the golden Chosen's robes fitting her like a glove.

"Morning blessings, Leo." Diana greeted her friend with a tranquil voice, though her heart was beating like a drum as the adrenaline of the nervousness she felt accelerated her pulse.

Not that she didn't trust Leona; she knew the Radiant Dawn was far more than ready for the Crowning Ceremony, having the warrior proved she knew all of her lessons by heart, but the threat of death upon the making of even the tiniest of mistakes was enough to make  _anyone_ nervous.

Even Leona, who felt just like her teacher. "Morning blessings, Diana." She greeted her, subtly hiding her hands behind herself, for she knew they were awfully sweaty due to her nerves. "Shall we go?"

Diana nodded in response to Leona's question, beginning to walk through the halls, Leona falling into step right next to her.

"How are you feeling?" Came the inevitable question Diana had been making the past few days, followed by a side glance and an expression of concern.

And just like every other time she had been asked that, Leona didn't know how to answer, so she opted for a half truth, "I've been better," She shrugged, then added, "The pressure makes me uncomfortable."

Ever since finding out the voice in her head was none other but their Goddess, Leona had been disturbed.

And she knew it was evident, just like Diana knew it, too.

She did her best to act like nothing had happened, like nothing had changed, but Diana knew her way too well already, being able to see past her disguise, no matter which mask she put on.

Still, the raven haired girl respected her an awful lot, so she would not push the warrior to tell her what was wrong unless the girl wanted to.

And Leona was unsure whether she should tell Diana about the deity inside her head or not, so she opted for the latter, choosing to remain silent about what made her uneasy.

So those days that had passed after Leona's discovery had been  _hard,_ for both of them _._

To say the least.

"I can only imagine." Diana finally retorted, both of them ignoring how the tension between them was so thick it could have been cut with a knife.

The rest of their walk towards the gardens was made in silence, neither daring to break it with idle talking, both too focused on what was to come in just a matter of minutes.

The Crowning ceremony began at dawn, just as the Sun began her ascent, with the proper rituals and finalized at noon, with the actual crowning of the Chosen, when the Sun was at her highest point in the sky.

They were at the door that lead to the gardens when Diana suddenly halted, grabbing her friend by the arm and stopping her, too.

"Leo." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Leona, nonetheless, heard her and turned, eyeing Diana curiously, though a stormy emotion was hiding behind her intrigued look.

When azure eyes met golden ones, Diana thought of what to say as she channeled her confident voice, if only to dispel what she saw lurking on Leona's stare.

"I just want you to know that there's not a trace of doubt in my heart." She finally let out, the trust she felt in Leona being evident in her tone.

The warrior slowly smiled. "I can feel your worry, though, Di."

"Do you want me to tell you the truth?" Diana asked her, making the Radiant Dawn nod. She closed her eyes then, for she didn't want to see Leona's face when she heard her; she was too nervous about telling her to handle it. "The only thing that worries me is that once you're crowned I won't have any excuse to spend so much time with you."

Leona let out a tiny, incredulous chuckle, but upon seeing Diana's serious expression, her smirk faded. "Wait, you're serious?"

Diana shyly nodded, pointedly avoiding Leona's eyes. "We won't be deeing each other as much..."

The warrior shook her head, unable to believe her friend. "Diana..." When the girl didn't look at her, Leona grabbed her by the jaw, forcing her to look at her. "Diana."

"What?" She let out in a tiny whisper.

"There are many things that I don't know." I certainly don't know how or when I grew so fond of you... "But I do know this; no God, no divine mission, no authority in this world can pry me away from you. Only Death... though I have my doubts about that one, too." She smirked, then. "You got that?"

Diana let out a nervous chuckle. "Yes, my Chosen."

"Ugh..." Leona made a face of disgust. "I swear, you'd better not start calling me that from now on."

A taunting look planted itself on Diana's face. "Or what?"

Leona's brows shot up at the sudden challenge. Or a million things, my darling... "Shut up." She said, playfully punching the girl on her arm. "Let's go now, before they start wondering where we've gone to."

"Wait." Diana called, making Leona stand still. Then, the Solari grasped the warrior's hand in hers, entwining their fingers. "Now we can go." She breathed out, a small smile on her lips.

Leona smirked at her, squeezing her hand and opening the door that lead to the gardens with the other.

The first thing they saw was the circular organization they had chosen for this act, instead of the typical ceremony layout they had opted for during the Welcoming Ceremony; All of the scholars were organized in a circle, surrounding the Elders, who were in the middle of it, the only free space the aisle created between the main gate and the Elders, so as to let the Chosen One and her mentor walk towards them.

Leona felt Diana's hand on hers, how the Solari applied a gentle amount of pressure to her fingers, and allowed an air of confidence to surround her as she puffed her chest out and walked towards the middle, her mentor side by side with her.

Neither girl missed the curious stares their entwined hands received, but where Diana wanted to let go, Leona simply refused to do so, feeling the girl's grip loosen and tightening hers in response.

She didn't need to look at Diana to know she was avoiding somebody's eyes. She scanned for the owner of the stare that was burning holes into her friend's brow, finally finding him in the circle of Elders.

Eos' gaze wandered to hers upon feeling her stare. He tried to keep the eye contact up, to make her break it first, but the intensity of Leona's golden eyes ruled over his cold ones, making him avert his gaze and look away.

It made the warrior smirk.  _That's what I thought._

Upon reaching the Elders, Leona looked at Diana and, with a smile meant only for her mentor, she let go of her hand, allowing the girl to take her position for the ceremony, right in the middle of the Elders, between Eos and Sekhet, for she was the one who was going to make Leona's status as the Chosen of the Sun official, being the person who would crown her under the midday Sun.

Leona stood a few feet away, in the center of the circle, facing her.

"Now that we are all here," Elder Akins spoke, his voice loud and clear. "Let us begin."

Leona exhaled slowly through her nose, her eyes never leaving Diana's.

She saw the girl wink at her, the nervousness she was feeling suddenly melting away.

A small smile plastered itself on her face as she rolled her shoulders, relieving the tension she was holding on them.

_Let's._

* * *

Midday was almost upon them.

The ceremony, much to Diana's relief, went by smoothly.

Leona knew every word to perfection, knew every stage of the ritual by heart. She navigated through the motions effortlessly and Diana couldn't be more thankful for that.

_My ass is saved._

"I hope you remember there's no room for mistakes, High Acolyte." Elder Eos whispered to her, his venomous voice close to her ear.

 _Well,_ saved _, what we understand for_ saved _, let's say it's not._

"The only mistake made today, Eos," Sekhet intervened, having heard her colleague. "Is your constant threatening. Now shut up before you screw the ceremony." She spat angrily, though no one but her protégée and the Elder to her side heard.

Thankfully, for she had never spoken to the man like that.

Diana gulped, a bit afraid of looking at either of them, but appreciative of both Sekhet's defense of her and Eos' lack of response.

_Damn. It's like I'm in the middle of a battleground here._

She felt the scorching glare of her deity above her.  _It's time, I guess._

"And now, to conclude the ceremony," Elder Akins' voice boomed throughout the gardens. "The Radiant Dawn's mentor, High Acolyte Diana, will crown her as the Chosen of the Sun."

Diana stood straight, her shoulders squared, her chest puffed out, her head high, as Leona moved towards her, her eyes looking like molten gold under the Sun's shine, never wavering from hers.

Leona halted a few centimeters away from Diana and they both stood there, too focused on each other to notice Elder Akins approaching with the Chosen's crown; a laurel wreath made of gold.

When the man reached them, Leona did something unexpected of her, for it wasn't part of the ceremony; The Ra-Horak slowly dropped to her knees, her head hanging low in a bow.

Diana froze as she stared at the back of Leona's head. How was she to proceed, now?

_There's nothing on the ceremony's typical procedure that may regard what she's doing as wrong or anything, but…_

"Stand up, Radiant Dawn." Diana said, not allowing her uneasiness to seep through her confident act into her voice.

Leona raised her head, looking up at Diana from her position on the floor. The Scholar could have sworn she saw her eyes grow wider for a moment, a somewhat shocked expression on her face that left as soon as it came, replaced by her shiny smile.

"I have kneeled as a Ra-Horak, but I shall not stand until I'm a Solari, my mentor." Leona said, her voice strong and deep.

Diana stole a glance at Elder Akins and Mistress Sekhet, both to her left, only to see them staring at Leona with a pleasantly surprised look. It made her relax a bit.  _Nothing wrong, then._

"Very well," She said as she carefully picked up the laurel wreath from the small pillow where it rested, which was held by Akins' hands. With a delicacy unique to her and a tenderness she reserved only for the auburn haired warrior –she hoped Helena never found out about that –she placed the golden crown atop Leona's head. "Let your will become our truth, then, Radiant Dawn." Diana added, watching Leona's smile widen as she stood.

"Let us rejoice in the crowning of our Sun's Avatar, Leona!" Elder Akins bellowed and, as if one, everyone, including the Elders, bowed their heads with their eyes closed as they began reciting a prayer, one that recognized Leona as the Sun's Champion and begged for her sanctification.

But Leona had little to no care for that, so she took advantage of the fact that everyone had their eyes closed and approached Diana even more, her mouth brushing against the girl's ear as she whispered, " ** _Don't look down to the floor, but up to the sky._** "

Diana tensed upon feeling the warrior at such an intimate distance, but smiled nonetheless, unable to keep it in. " ** _You'll get me in trouble._** " She whispered back, as low as the warrior had mere moments ago, certain that no one could hear such hushed whispers.

" ** _Just take a look, please?_** " Leona said once more and Diana stopped breathing, for she was certain she had felt the warrior's hand ghosting over her waist. " ** _I think it'll be a pleasant surprise._** " She felt Leona's smirk against her ear, then nothingness as the warrior pulled away.

Diana slowly opened her eyes and met golden ones, dangerously close to her own. Leona's eyes were unfocused, her pupils dancing all over her face, the color in them glowing in an eerie, unnatural way.

_What…?_

Leona's gaze finally settled on her own. " ** _Turn around._** "

Diana obeyed, careful not to make a sound and alert anyone, thankful for the prayers, for they kept Leona's voice and her own hidden away.

Once she had turned, she looked up at the sky, feeling the Sun shining brighter like usual, her warmth on her skin stronger than ever.

Her eyes landed on a figure she knew should have never been on the sky during daytime.

Specially not during the Chosen of the Sun's Crowning Ceremony, for her appearance would be seen as a bad omen.

Yet there the Moon was, plastered on the clear sky, as if the stars were accompanying her like usual.

As if the Sun wasn't there, too.

" ** _The One Crowned by the Sun,_** " Leona whispered against her ear while pressing her body against Diana's back, her arms going around her waist. " ** _Greets The One under the Moon._** "

"What-" Diana said, too stunned by Leona's actions to move. "Leo-"

" ** _What are you waiting for?_** _"_  Leona whispered against her ear, purposefully letting her lips drag against Diana's neck as she pulled away.

Diana ignored the shiver that went down her spine as she turned around once more, only to be met by Leona's vacant stare, her body stiff, her cheeks flushed.

"Leo…?"

But then the girl was shaking her head a bit, a somewhat panicked look on her face.

For the umpteenth time that day, Diana froze, unsure of what to do.

Her ears caught up with the prayer just in time to hear it reaching its' end, so she quickly bowed her head and closed her eyes, leaving Leona to herself.

The warrior reacted swiftly, too, as she immediately regained her composure and pretended to be at ease, a big smile on her face as everyone –Diana included –opened their eyes and regarded her with pride.

She would not let them see how disoriented she actually felt.

_What in the Void just happened?_

* * *

The Sun was long gone from the sky as she heard the small, yet hurried, knock on her door.

"The door's open." Leona let out from her seat on her bed, for she knew it could be no other but the raven haired girl.

Diana opened the door and walked into Leona's bedroom, carefully closing it behind her. "I think you owe me two explanations."

Leona frowned. "Two?"

"Yes, two. Number one; What in the Void were you doing back in the ceremony? And number two; Why have you avoided me all day long?" Diana quickly walked towards Leona, standing right in front of the woman.

The Chosen One sighed. "Diana, it's complicated-"

"No, you don't get to do that." Diana's response made Leona gape at her, but the other woman simply went on. "You don't get to play that card with me."

"You wouldn't understand." Leona said, shaking her head, trying to keep calm. "It's harder than you think, Di."

"What you did today on the Crowning Ceremony could have ended badly, Leona." Diana crouched, so that she was looking up at her friend. "It could have ended with me being executed, yet you took that risk either way." She softly said, letting Leona know she didn't feel anger towards her, but a kind of ignorant sadness due to her actions and her refusal to acknowledge them.

 _And how could she not? After all, you_ gambled  _with her life._

Leona sighed as she regarded Diana; the downward turn of her lips, her furrowed brow…

…The look of concern on her azure eyes.

_You've been purposefully avoiding her all day and yet she still worries about you. What an undeserving bitch you can be, sometimes._

Leona patted the spot next to her on the bed. "Come here." The warrior gently ordered and Diana obliged, slowly standing up and sitting next to her friend. Leona pivoted her body so that she was facing her and went on, "Remember the lesson on the Chosen's abilities?"

She saw Diana nod, a focused stare on her eyes.

Upon the girl's silence, she kept explaining. "Let's say the Chosen of the Sun may be recognized by the Solari as such only after the Crowning Ceremony, but the Sun herself views her Avatar as such since the moment she chooses them."

"What are you trying to get at?" The Scholar somewhat interrupted her, impatient for an answer.

"What I'm trying to say is that I already was the Chosen of the Sun, with all that implies."

The Ra-Horak and the Scholar stared at each other for a while, Leona waiting for Diana to make the connections inside her brain.

Once she saw Diana's brows shoot up, she knew she had understood.

But then she creased her brows in an expression Leona knew meant confusion. "And what does that have to do with anything?"

Leona grabbed both of Diana's hands. "Di, I can hear the Sun's commands in my mind. I can feel her strength being passed onto me when the sunlight hits my skin." She closed her eyes, so as not to see right into Diana's as she said, "And, sometimes, I cannot fight her control over me."

Silence. An unnerving kind of silence.

Leona slowly opened her eyes and found Diana gaping at her, a flush on her cheeks. "You mean to tell me… I mean… What happened-"

"What happened today during the ceremony," Leona finished for her, "Wasn't exactly me. I remember what I've said and done, and I'm sorry for it, but I had no control." An apologetic look took over Leona's features as she said it once more, "I'm sorry."

"It's nothing to be sorry about." Diana responded, averting her gaze, not wanting to look at the warrior in the eye. Suddenly, everything made sense inside her mind. "Is this the reason why you've been so…  _unlike_ yourself these days?"

"Yes." She heard her friend say, but her voice was barely above a whisper, sounding so tiny, so unlike her Leona.

So Diana raised her gaze and met the tired warrior hiding behind the façade of confidence her friend had been wearing.

"Oh, Leo…" She hugged her friend and squeezed her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Diana, but I didn't know what to do about it, whether to tell you or not, I…" She sighed, surrounding her friend with her arms. "I just didn't know."

"It's okay." The Solari whispered on her ear, letting her hand draw patterns on the warriors back, feeling it rise with a deep breath she took.

Diana pulled away after a moment, a small smirk on her lips. Then, the smile was gone, replaced by a frown as she thought about something.  _What I've_ said  _and done… "_ Leo, will the Sun talk to you?"

"Not always and not really." Upon the look of confusion on Diana's face, she explained, "Only one time were we able to hold a conversation, but seems our Goddess likes mystery and remaining cryptic, being a voice I can hear inside my head from time to time, guiding me or distracting me, but not a voice I can talk to anymore."

" _Distracting me?"_  Diana echoed, making Leona groan.

"She likes riddles just as much as you do, perhaps even more." Leona snorted, then, "I think you two would get along just fine."

Diana chuckled, thinking about it. "She refuses to answer?"

Leona shrugged. "You could say so." She raised a brow. "Why?"

"Because I wonder what she meant by  ** _The One Crowned by the Sun greets the One under the Moon._** "

Leona frowned. "She didn't offer any explanation."

"Leo, the Moon was up in the daylight's sky today during your ceremony." Diana finally said, her gaze intensely boring into Leona's eyes.

"I know."

"Then what does this all mean? What was all of that about?" Diana asked her, trying not to blush at her memories of that day.  _I mean, normally I'd be afraid of my Goddess implying I've got something to do with the Moon, but she didn't seem…_ angry  _about it._

But Leona shook her head, a worried look on her face. "I don't know, Di, she didn't say anything."

The Solari sighed, rubbing her eyes with her thumb and index finger, a small yawn escaping her lips; the stress the had felt throughout the day had worn her down.

"You should go rest, Di." Leona gently moved her hand towards Diana's cheek, letting her thumb rub her cheekbone.

"I should." She echoed, her voice making Leona stand to guide her towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

The warrior smiled. "Like every day." Then, as quickly as possible so as not to let her mind catch up with her actions and make her regret it, Leona planted a kiss on Diana's cheek, a crimson color on her cheeks.

The nervous smile on Diana's face was worth it. "Good night."

"Good night."

She allowed herself to stare at Diana's disappearing figure, closing the door only after having lost sight of her.

**_You bastard._ **

Leona sighed, pacing around the room, knowing her mistress wouldn't respond, wouldn't talk with her, hold a conversation, anymore.  _At least, that part of what I've told her remains true._

**_I would never control you. You behaved like that on your own._ **

**_You_ ** **lied** **_to that girl._ **

It had been so easy she felt guilty about it.

When she had raised her head and looked up at Diana, the Moon floating above her like a lunar crown, she heard her Goddess whisper riddles into her mind, giving her the perfect excuse to misbehave.

All it took was a small amount of acting here and there, the sunlight allowing her to set her eyes ablaze, a thing those would do each time she allowed the Sun's power to flow through herself.

Leona threw herself on her bed, a small smile tugging at her lips.

" ** _Innocent until proven guilty."_** She said out loud, remembering those words had been said by her  _friend_ before.

A sigh escaped her lips.

_I think I'm fucked._


	12. Chapter 12

"...So I said: ' _give me that, you poor attempt at a thinking being'_ and I just  _snatched_ the scroll from Bynn's hands and I..." Helena trailed off after her eyes landed on the person sitting in front of her, across the table in the dining hall, as they had dinner.

Well, as  _she_  ate her dinner, since Diana was just pushing the food around her plate with a fork.

 _"_ Diana..." she tried, but the girl's mind was too occupied, making her unable to pay her friend any attention. "Di..." she attempted again, this time waving her hand in front of the absentminded Solari, but still to no avail.

Helena growled in annoyance and let her emotions get the best of her as she stood up and roared at the other scholar.  _"Diana!"_

The girl snapped out of it with a visible flinch as she stared at Helena, her eyes wide with surprise as Helena had frightened her. "What?!"

Helena breathed in and out slowly, trying to regain her wits, slowly sitting down again, embarrassment making her blush, for basically everyone had turned around to look at her due to her sudden and loud outburst.

"You didn't pay attention to a word I've said, haven't you?" Helena asked Diana in a low, growl-like kind of voice as she narrowed her eyes, glaring at her.

Diana blushed. "Of course I was!"

Helena had a no-nonsense look on her face. "Oh, really?" She said, a bored, monotone to her voice. "What was I talking about, then?"

"You, uh, you were..." Diana chuckled nervously. "You were telling me this funny thing you did, uh, you, eh-"

"Diana!" Helena's voice had gone up an octave, anger evident in her accusatory demeanor.

"Okay, fine! I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Diana finally confessed, her blush deepening. "I zoned out." She added, looking down at her plate. She made Helena sigh.

"These past few days... No," Helena shook her head, groaning at herself for having to correct what she just said. "These past few weeks," She frowned then, as something clicked inside her head, then tried again. "Ever since the Crowning Ceremony you've been acting  _weird,_ Di." Her frown turned into a worried look as she continued, "zoning out constantly, unfocused and not paying attention,  _failing to fulfill your tasks,"_ The brunette emphasized the last sentence, for she had been the one completing them in Diana's name, so as to save the girl from any kind of punishment. "By the Void, Diana, if what you want is a whipping, just ask  _me_  to do it and I gladly will, just as efficiently as the Elders but with much less humiliation." She offered jokingly in a teasing tone, though the girl across from her wasn't laughing, a tired look on her face.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry Helena, I just-" She sighed, recollecting her thoughts. "I'm just stressed."

"About what exactly, Di? What's going on so troubling that is clouding your brilliant mind?" Helena interrogated the girl, a somewhat desperate tone on her voice, for she only wanted to help her friend out, but it proved impossible if Diana was unwilling to cooperate with her a bit.

The raven haired girl just chuckled. "Wow, I think this is the first time you call me  _brilliant_ instead of  _imbecile gremlin."_

Helena reached across the table to grasp Diana's free hand, not having her changing the subject. "Come on, Di." She squeezed a bit, making Diana look at them. "You know that whatever it is, you don't have to face it alone, right? That's what I'm here for." She looked at Diana expectantly, but the girl just sighed.

It had been weeks since the Crowning, yet she still couldn't get her mind to think of something other than what Leona had whispered to her during the ceremony.

Every day that had passed was a day she used to go about her life automatically, not paying any attention to whatever was happening in real life while she thought about those words and what they could mean.

Every night that had passed was a night she used to read  _every_ book she could get her hands on, trying to look for an answer, only to find she had read them all, nothing really useful being found on any of them.

Every moment of her life had been reduced to that; the constant analyzing of whatever the Sun had secretly whispered to her during a holy act.

Even her interactions with Helena and Leona had been altered, for she didn't pay much attention to any of them, her mind always busy somewhere else.

She had entertained the idea of consulting her doubts with Leona. By the Void, she even thought about asking  _Helena_ about it, disregarding how  _The Sun herself_ had implied a connection between her and the Moon, but…

_…_ _but it feels wrong._

_The Moon is_ my  _precious secret and I want to do this alone, without anybody carrying me there._

 _Besides, nobody knows more about her than_ me.

She needed time to think and figure things out on her own, if only to find out what it meant to her and how it made her  _feel._

So she armed herself with courage to turn her friend down once more. "I know, Lena, but nothing's the matter." She smiled at Helena. "You'll have to trust me on this one."

Helena seemed about to say something, but she let it go, smiling instead as she said. "You know? It's been a long time since I last heard you call me that."

"It's been a long time since I've needed to call you that to make you comply to my wishes." She said, making Helena chuckle. "You've grown soft with me."

" _Please,_ don't get used to it," Helena responded, a playful smile on her lips. "I'm just letting you relax for a while before my tyranny is back full force."

Both girls laughed, each of them more comfortable with the other's presence, when a third figure approached them. "Hello, you two." She said, making both Helena and Diana turned to look at her.

"Hi, Lycia!" Helena greeted her enthusiastically as the girl sat down next to her.

"Fancy seeing you here." Diana commented, making the two girls in front of her turn to look at her. When she noticed the look of confusion on Lycia's face and realized how nasty she may have sounded, she blushed and added, "I mean, you're usually with your friends instead of us."

"You're my friends, too." Lycia said with an arched eyebrow. Upon seeing Diana's no-nonsense expression, the girl silently telling her that she knew what she had meant by that, she added, "During your week training the Radiant Dawn, I was assigned as your replacement for the tasks you were supposed to do, including those which you did with Helena." She gave the short haired girl a bright smile. "We spent so much time together, we eventually became closer during that week."

"Is that so." Diana said with a monotone, a barely-there tint of sadness to her voice as she watched the two of them, Lycia unaware of her change of demeanor, Helena too conscious about it.

She was afraid her best friend would say something when someone opened the door to the dining hall, entering it and provoking hushed, adoring whispers as Leona made her way through the room, a radiant smile on her lips.

But, instead of locating her and walking towards her like she usually did, Leona allowed herself to be dragged to another table by a group of scholars who wanted a shot at making the  _Radiant Dawn_  smile. Diana exhaled slowly through her nose, if only to avoid sighing.

Helena's eyes narrowed slightly as she mentally noted that something was off between Leona and Diana. When their eyes met, Diana offered her friend a small, tired smirk, not even trying to hide how she was feeling, for she knew Helena could read her like an open book.

Lycia couldn't though, as she remained oblivious to the silent communication between the two girls. "What's up with that? Doesn't the Radiant Dawn prefer eating with  _you_?" She directed the last question towards Diana, who already had her nonchalant mask on.

"After being crowned, Leona was required to do many tasks that included, you know, socializing with other people apart from me." A shrug, but her eyes wandered to the auburn haired girl. "Guess it'll be good for her, to have other friends." She forced her gaze to go back to Lycia as she added with a tiny smirk. "Just like someone I know over here."

Helena's eyes silently darted between Diana and Leona, her fast mind making curious connections that had her knowing she had to corner both girls later.

Separately.

But Lycia's eyes weren't on her nor Diana, but on the spotlight. "Or perhaps she just hadn't seen you yet." Her sight wandered back to Diana, making eye contact. "Because she's looking at you right now."

"Huh?" Diana almost instantly whipped her head towards where she knew Leona was seated and indeed, the Champion of the Sun was staring at her.

But as soon as eye contact was made, the warrior looked away and Diana could swear a blush was dusting her cheeks.

A playful smirk slowly grew on her lips.

"What are you doing?" Helena inquired when she saw Diana get comfortable, propping her elbow on the table and resting her head on her hand.

"I'm going to make her come over here and say hello." Diana cast a glance at Helena. "It would be very rude of her not to."

"Do you have some kind of mental super power that I'm not aware of?" Lycia teased, though the tiny chuckle she enticed out of the raven haired Solari only made her a bit uneasy, actually entertaining the idea of Diana having super powers.

"Just you wait and see." She said, her eyes not moving from the Ra-Horak so many meters away from her.

After a couple of seconds, Leona turned again, stealing a glance at Diana, making the Solari smile a tight lipped smile and wave at her, making it obvious that she had been discovered staring.

Leona –who was  _indeed_ blushing, Diana noted as she realized she had not imagined it –smiled back, waving her hand a bit.

Diana pointed at her, then curled the finger inwards, mouthing something at the warrior.  _Come here._

The warrior's blushed even more, her face a darker shade of red than before, but she complied to the moon-addled Solari's wishes, standing up abruptly and awkwardly stomping her way towards Diana.

"You called me?" Leona's words came out tangled, as if they overstepped each other trying to come out of her mouth.

"Did I?" Diana teased as she slowly stood up, placing herself right in front of Leona, the height difference between them doing nothing in Leona's favor as she felt smaller than the girl in front of her, the authoritative air making her so much bigger than the warrior.

"I thought you had-"

"What do you even think you're doing, not coming over here and saying hi to  _me?"_  Diana crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow, easily ignoring the awed looks she was receiving.

"Diana-" Leona began, but shut up as Diana narrowed her eyes. Once she realized how the girl was playing with her, the Ra-Horak laughed. "Okay, my bad. I'm sorry."

" _Sorry_ isn't going to erase how rude you've just been, you nasty troglodyte."

Leona placed a hand on her chest, pretending to just have been hurt. "How may I repay you, then, oh, my great mentor?"

Diana slowly sat down again, pretending to think. "Well, a thing or two come to mind-"

"Radiant Dawn," A girl from the table Leona had been sitting at suddenly appeared, grabbing the Chosen by the arm. "Come back with us! What are you even doing here?" The rude acolyte threw a poisonous glare in Diana's direction, succeeding at silencing the girl and dragging Leona with her.

But not without a bit of resistance.

"I'll make it up to you later." Leona told her as she easily resisted the girl for a moment, throwing a wink in Diana's direction before letting herself be dragged towards the other table.

Diana huffed due to the annoying interruption, but smirked nonetheless as Lycia laughed at the weird interactions the Chosen of the Sun and her quirky mentor seemed to have.

Helena hadn't been paying attention to them anymore, though.

Not as she stared at Leona and decided she'd corner  _her_  first.

* * *

"I'll see you all tomorrow, I promise!" Leona said with a laughter as she pried herself away from the scholars who had stolen her for the night.

Who had stolen her from Diana's side.

Her stomach turned at the thought of her friend, heat expanding all over her body when she invoked the other girl in her mind.

She didn't need anybody telling her what she was feeling, for she knew  _exactly_ what it was; she may consider herself dumb but, even then, she wasn't  _that_ dumb.

But how was she to tell  _her,_ the best friend she had in the temple –perhaps the only, real friend she had in the temple –that she felt this…  _attraction_ to her?

More importantly; how was she to confess her feelings when they both were to follow a religion that condemned whatever she daydreamed about regarding her and Diana?

 _And how am I to confess_ anything  _if she keeps avoiding me for the Sun knows whatever reason?_

She knew Diana very well and was completely aware of the fact that the Solari was free of any judgement and would understand; Diana would  _never_ use her feelings to harm her. Sure, perhaps she'd be rejected but still, that was the  _worst_ that could happen and she was certain the girl would still remain as a friend, but…

Leona frowned, her eyes on the floor as she absentmindedly walked through the halls.  _To tell her about this would be to burden her with a secret that could get her harmed, anyway._

Normally, she wouldn't care what anybody thought about her, but…

…But it wasn't about her anymore. At least, not just her, for it involved Diana and she didn't fully know Eos and whatever evil intentions he had with her friend yet, but she did know that he was capable of anything if it meant harming the  _moon-addled_ Solari.

And she was  _Leona,_ the  _Radiant Dawn,_ the precious treasure of the Solari.

It meant she was untouchable.

_And if they cannot touch me…_

They'd  _kill_ Diana.  _That_ she was certain of.

She'd keep it secret and take it to the grave if it meant keeping Diana safe.

A sad smile crept up on her lips.  _At least her avoiding me makes it easier to try and get over her._

_Perhaps I can even get myself to like somebody else._

**_The Sun's a stubborn bull at heart._ **

Leona audibly groaned, her hands going to her face as she could only think about her deity's opportune apparition.

 _And_ there  _you are with your fucking_ riddles.

But just then, when she was about to make a right, almost reaching Diana's bedroom, someone grabbed her by the collar of her tunic and pulled her into another hall, just as empty as hers.

Her body tensed up as adrenaline ran through her veins and she got ready to counteract whoever was cornering her, but she immediately relaxed when she saw it was just Helena. Confusion still made her frown and something resembling awe shone in her eyes, for she was amazed at how easily the shorter girl had sneaked up on her without the warrior noticing.

_But perhaps that's due to my daydreaming._

"Hey, Helena," Leona breathed out, her eyes narrowing a bit, unsure of what was the matter. "What's up?"

"I should be the one asking that." Helena said, a threatening air to her tone but no malice hiding underneath it. "I'll just go straight to the point: what's going on between Diana and you?"

Leona frowned. "What?"

"You heard me, Leo." Helena said as she looked at the warrior with a bored expression. "What's the matter between you two?"

"Why would there be  _a matter_ between us?" Leona inquired, avoiding answering until she knew what Helena was talking about.

The short haired girl sighed. "Leo, make it easy for me, please."

"I  _am_ making it easy to you; there's nothing wrong."

"Then why are you avoiding her?"

Leona's eyes widened. "I'm not avoiding her."

Helena huffed in response. "Come on. Why didn't you come to our table today, then? And I expect a  _good_ reason or else I'm not believing you."

Leona stuttered for a moment, trying to find a good excuse, but she had been cornered by the clever, fierce girl, so she sighed in defeat and settled for the one thing that seemed to work well most of the time; a half-truth. "To be honest, is the other way around;  _Diana_ is avoiding  _me_."

Helena's brows rose, but she didn't seem very surprised. "She's avoiding you?" A nod from Leona. "Do you know why?"

The Ra-Horak shook her head. "Not really."

Helena frowned, a glare-like expression. "You didn't think about asking her what's wrong?"

Leona crossed her arms, the look on her face a mirror to Helena's. "Did  _you?_ "

The sudden change in her demeanor, how the girl's expression fell, told Leona everything she needed to know. Helena knew it, but she still wanted to say it out loud. "I'm starting to grow worried, Leo.  _Very_ worried." She looked away, shaking her head. "I've asked her many times already and she's always dodging the question. I'm no fool and I know her like the back of my hand; something's got to her and I…" She sighed, closing her eyes for a second and taking a moment to breathe. Once she reopened them, she looked at Leona. "I just want to know that she's okay."

The warrior smiled genuinely at Helena, touched by her concern. "I didn't ask her about it because I hoped she'd come and tell me herself, but yes; something's wrong. In fact, you just stopped me from going to her bedroom to talk to her."

A small chuckle escaped Helena's lips. "Guess we both look after her now, huh?"

 _For different reasons, though._ "Guess we do."

Helena remained silent for a second, then opened her mouth to speak as a thought hit her. "Leo, can I ask a favor of you?"

"Anything."

"If you find out what's worrying her, would you mind telling me?" A blush covered Helena's cheeks, then. "I know she's strong and can take care of herself. By the Sun, she has  _you_ looking after her, too, but-"

"I understand," Leona interrupted her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And I will, as long as you promise to do the same with me."

Helena sighed in relief. "I promise." A smile took over her lips as she added, "Thank you." The short haired girl released Leona from her claws, slowly making her way to her room and letting the warrior continue her trip to Diana's room when suddenly she remembered something and called after her. "Hey, before I forget!"

Leona turned and approached her once more. "What?"

Helena's expression was deadly serious. "If whatever that's bothering her happens to have something to do with…" She looked away, unsure of how to approach the subject of the Moon with the  _Chosen of the Sun._

So she steeled herself and looked at Leona again, fire in her eyes. "If the Moon is involved in a way, you'd better keep your mouth shut about it with the Elders."

The warrior stared back with a bit of shock as she basically  _read_ the rest of that sentence in the fury hiding behind Helena's eyes.

 _Because if you tell them something, I'm_ killing  _you, no matter who you are._

The joke was on Helena, though, for she was unaware she was speaking to the biggest miscreant of their religion.

A smirk placed itself on the corner of Leona's mouth. "You can count on it."

Helena nodded once. "Good." With that, she turned and left, leaving Leona to herself.

Which only meant her mind was free to wander around, thinking about everything and just stressing her out more.

Her body moved on its' own, automatically directing her towards the estranged Solari's bedroom, her steps falling into a perfect rhythm with her heart as her mind raced through a thousand thoughts.

She didn't know Diana wasn't avoiding  _just_ her. Ever since the Crowning the girl had been distant and that she had noticed, but she thought it was only with  _her._

 _What's going on with you that you're avoiding_ Helena,  _too?_

She had planned to spend the night locked away in Diana's room, chatting with the girl and –a desperate, foolish part of her hoped –charming her into liking her back, relishing on the fact that, at least for that day, the girl had not dodged her attention.

The unexpected piece of information provided by Helena begged for a sudden change of plans, though.

So when she reached Diana's door, she took a deep breath and knocked, trying to keep the frown from her face.

" _A minute!"_ Diana called from inside, fully aware that the one on the other side was just Leona and she had nothing to worry about.

When Diana opened the door, Leona managed not to let her brows crease, but not because of her mere willpower.

It was because she was too busy staring.

The girl had opened the door wearing her scholar robes, but it was clear she had just thrown them on, for she had put them on in an awkward way that pressed her body against the linen, her damp hair evidence that she had bathed just moments ago.

Leona, suddenly very self-aware, closed her eyes slowly, exhaling through her nose and trying to erase the picture of Diana's figure from her mind.

_At least try and pretend you weren't staring._

"Leo…? You alright?" Diana asked, seemingly ignorant of the girl's sinful train of thought.

"Yeah, no, I-" She shook her head, mentally cursing herself. "I'm fine." She deadpanned, her piercing stare closed in on Diana's eyes, the intensity with which she looked at the other in order to keep her eyes in a safe place making the Solari uncomfortable.

"You… uh," Diana began as she shifted on her feet. "You want to come in?"

Leona reddened at the awkwardness. "Sure." She let out in a squeaky voice, rushing inside and allowing Diana to close the door behind her.

As the raven haired girl locked the door, Leona allowed herself to look around, taking in the girl's bedroom. A single bed laid against the wall furthest from her, a wooden nightstand standing next to it with a candle on top of it, ablaze. Actually, there were many candles alight scattered all around the room.

 _No, not_ scattered.  _They are all organized._

Candles lit up the room with a warm, cozy, orange hue that reminded Leona of the sunset. The more she paid attention, the more she noticed; said candles were surrounded by many books and scrolls written in both the common tongue and the Old Rakkor.

As she eyed a particular tome that caught her eye, she realized all books were about the same thing: the night's sky and its mysteries, everything there was in the Temple to be learnt about the Moon, the Stars, the night, its' darkness.

"I'm sorry for the mess." She heard Diana say, the girl's footsteps ethereal as she approached the warrior.

"It's alright," Leona let out as she kept watching around, finally turning to look at Diana, a small, accomplice smile on her lips. "Someone's been doing some light reading, I see."

Diana chuckled, the sound being something low and deep. "Some  _light_ reading, alright." She eyed the books all around them. "I've been curious." She said, like it was no big deal.

"That I see," Leona said with a laugh as her eyes went back to Diana's, which were still set on some random book.

The warrior swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. Ever since accepting what she felt, she found being around the object of her affection somewhat  _difficult;_ Her eyes, her voice, how  _beautiful_ she found  _everything_ about the other girl…

…It was getting harder and harder to ignore.

_And the fact that we seem to always enjoy being alone together does not help._

"So," Diana suddenly said, making Leona jump a bit in her own skin. She looked up again, straight into the Ra-Horak's eyes as she asked, "How are you going to repay me for your insolence of today?" The Scholar asked, her eyes lazily going over Leona's face as a smug grin took place on her lips.

The warrior turned a bright shade of red at the girl's words, the authoritative tone she had used going  _way too well_ with her deep voice and slowed speech. The combination of it all was a stimulus big enough to make the fierce soldier shiver. She was sure the Solari had intended for those words to sound playful, but Leona's ears weren't cooperating, flooding her mind with  _very_ vivid, moving images.

 _Enough,_ she thought as she tried to recollect her thoughts.  _You came here with a purpose._

"Actually, Di," Leona breathed out, closing her eyes so as to concentrate on the task at hand. "There's something I'd like to talk to you about." She moved towards the girl's bed and sat down, silently watching Diana follow her and do the same, but not without letting a frown settle on her face.

"Is everything okay?" Diana inquired, trying not to let it show on her features how much that question actually worried her.

Leona gave her a lopsided smile. "Yes, don't worry." But as soon as it came it was gone, replaced by a look of concern. "It's just that you've been kind of evasive as of lately… Today's been the first time you  _actually_ looked my way before having me calling your attention." She took a moment to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat before confessing something she had been dreading. "I thought it was just with me, you know? That I had upset you in a way, but…"

Leona considered it for a moment; should she tell Diana that Helena had cornered her mere moments ago?

"But…?" Diana pressed, the silence making her uneasy.

 _Probably better to keep Helena away from trouble._ "But I've noticed you've been avoiding Helena, too. Well, avoiding  _everyone,_ actually." She finally settled on saying, looking at Diana with worry in her eyes as she added, "So now it's my turn to ask; Is everything okay, Di?"

 _Fuck. How do I get out of this one?,_ Diana sighed, giving herself at least seconds to react. "Oh, Leo." A small, sad smile placed itself on her lips. "I'm really sorry for making you feel like you've done something wrong."

"It's okay, not like you did it on purpose." Leona chuckled, a harsh sound as she tried to evade the thought of Diana actually having avoided her purposefully.

Diana kept smiling at her, thinking of what to do, of what to say. She couldn't brush her off like she did with Helena, for Leona would simply refuse to be left in the dark.

She tried not to grimace as she realized she'd have to do the one thing she didn't like doing, specially to someone like  _Leona._

She'd have to lie.

So she steeled herself and sighed in defeat, creating the perfect character. "I'm sorry for having been so evaside." She apologized sincerely, as she mustered up a lie. "It's just that…" She trailed off, a sigh escaping her lips.

"What?" Leona pushed, eager to know.

Diana allowed the tiredness she felt to be expressed on her face. "Elder Eos is furious at me for having passed the Crowning so smoothly, so he's constantly looking for excuses to punish me." She closed her eyes, finding it impossible to look at Leona at that moment, for she knew the girl would definitely look at her with pure concern in her eyes, that protective nature of hers –a thing of hers that Diana adored –kicking in. "I'm too busy fulfilling his every demand in order to save my ass, so that's why I've been so… so  _absent_ these days." She finally looked at Leona then, avoiding the pang of guilt she felt upon seeing her so worried. "I'm sorry if I made you feel bad, but you have nothing to do with it, I swear."

Leona remained quiet for a second, her eyes scanning Diana's face. Then she was hugging the girl with all of her strength, as if a leash had been holding back from doing so and she was suddenly released.

Diana hugged her back instinctively, though she was a bit surprised. "Leo…?"

"This may sound bad," The girl whispered, making Diana aware of the fact that her lips were at the end of her jaw, near her ear, the information making a blush creep up on the reserved scholar's face. "But I'm  _so_ glad it was just that." She pulled away so as to be able to see Diana's eyes. "I thought something I did was bothering you."

Diana relaxed, trying to ignore how she missed the contact. A laugh escaped her lips. "You silly, what could you have done to bother me?"

Leona shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm dumb, so perhaps I had done something and I didn't notice-"

"Hush," Diana cut her off, successfully silencing her. "Don't say stupid stuff."

Leona laughed, a yawn cutting her off to escape her, the tiredness of all the emotional stress she had been in finally catching up to her. "I think I should go to bed."

Diana smirked. "I think you should."

The Solari walked the Ra-Horak to the door, opening it and letting her out. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Leona replied, smiling.

Diana was about to close the door when Leona stopped her, catching the door with her foot.

"What-" Diana began, but was cut off by another hug from Leona, this time too different from the one before as the Sun's Avatar pressed her body flush against hers.

"Tomorrow I'll make it up for my insolence of today, then." She whispered, her voice low and almost a whisper as she had her lips next to Diana's ear. She pulled away a bit and planted a kiss on the girl's cheek, lingering for a second before finally releasing her, chuckling at how the other had blushed. "I'll see you." She finished, turning and leaving.

Crashing against Helena in the process.

Leona blushed furiously, losing all of her cool immediately. "I, I'm sorry, I-" She stuttered, realizing she was unable to form an intelligent sentence, so she just, "Yeah, bye." And left, as Diana stared after her, still frozen in place by her behavior from moments before, letting Helena look from the disappearing Leona to the paralyzed Diana.

Allowing the short haired brunette to connect some dots.

So she walked towards Diana, pushed her inside her bedroom and locked the door behind her.

"You and I need to talk." Helena stated as she dragged Diana to her bed, forcing her to sit down and standing right in front of her, her arms crossed over her chest.

"What about?"

"Diana, I want you to be completely honest with me." Helena told her, slowly sitting down next to the girl as she realized this may be more difficult than she thought. "What's going on between Leona and you?"

Diana frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, Di," Helena scoffed. "One would have to be blind not to see it." She arched an eyebrow. "In fact, even a blind person would be able to  _see_ it."

A blush crept up Diana's neck. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said, purposefully ignoring the fact that a part of her brain was following Helena's train of thought.

But then Helena's hands were on her face, each palm on her cheeks as she said, "The way you touch her, the way you  _look_ at her, the fact that, every time she's mentioned, you  _blush…_ "

Diana was avoiding her eyes, her expression turning a bit desperate as she struggled in her own mind, trying look for a way to  _escape-_

" _Diana."_

She looked into Helena's hazel eyes, ignoring whatever emotion she saw shining there.

"Is what you feel for Leona  _attraction_  or something else entirely?" The stubborn scholar didn't want to leave room for Diana to lie, so she added, "Something  _more?"_

Diana's heart thundered inside her chest, her pupils going from one of Helena's eyes to the other.

The brunette didn't ask her whether she liked Leona or not, for she considered that to be  _obvious._

She directly asked just  _how much_ she liked her.

_In just a second she addressed what you've been avoiding ever since meeting her and even asked how deep it went._

So without any kind of warning, Diana's eyes teared up and a strangulated sob escaped her lips.

Helena's heart was pained to see her very best friend suffering like that, so she hugged her, a comforting hand rubbing circles on the girl's back.

"It's okay," She begun to say as tears also formed on her eyes. "It's okay, Di."

"No, it's  _not!"_ Diana said, releasing herself from Helena's embrace. "It's not okay at all!"

Helena smiled sadly at her. "It is, Di, seriously."

"No, because what I feel is  _wrong-"_

The sound of a slap silenced the raven haired scholar.

"You say that again," Helena muttered between clenched teeth. "And I'm  _whipping_ you like I said during dinner. You got that?"

A shocked Diana nodded.

"Good." Helena breathed out, trying to calm down. "Now, I want you to suck it up and  _talk._ My tyranny is back." She joked.

But Diana was too afraid of speaking to acknowledge the joke, too busy breathing in and out slowly, calming down enough to talk, defeat making her shoulders fall.

Helena waited patiently, letting the girl muster up enough courage to speak.

"I guess I've always known about what I feel for her." She brought a hand up to her forehead, letting her thumb and her middle finger press into her temples. "I wouldn't say it's just attraction. I like her more than that. I can't stop thinking about her." Diana confessed, feeling as if a burden was being lifted from her shoulders, but fear still gripping her heart.

 _Infatuation._ "And why didn't you tell me before?" Helena asked her, a sudden thought hitting her and making her feel miserably bad. "Did you feel it would be unsafe to tell me?"  _By the Sun, did she-_ "Did you think I'd judge you for it?"

" _No!_ No," Diana quickly denied, the look on Helena's face telling her how mortified the other felt by the mere idea of making her best friend feel in danger. "It's just that I've been avoiding even  _thinking_ about it." Diana shrugged. "I thought that if I didn't mention the elephant in the room, it would somehow disappear." A self-deprecating laugh. "Guess not."

Helena sighed. "Oh, Diana…" She hugged her friend, her hand going to the nape of Diana's neck and scratching gently, knowing it was a thing the other Solari enjoyed.

"I'm sorry, Helena."

"Shut up."

Both laughed at that.

When Helena released her, she spoke again. "You know there's nothing wrong with you being you, right? What you feel is totally okay, Diana. I mean, come on," She offered the girl a smile. "Leona  _is_ pretty. Even I can see that."

Diana laughed at her friend, but then her smile was gone, the worried look back on her face. "I'm not afraid of what I feel; I'm afraid of what the Elders may do if they ever find out about it."  _Like what happened to Elder Juni and Elder Suhr._

Helena frowned. "I know. They can't find out." A sad sigh escaped her lips. "Just to be sure, not even Mistress Sekhet can find out."

Diana sighed, too, casting her vision on the floor. "I know." Not that they thought Sekhet would do anything about it. By the Void, they were certain she was the easiest to talk to about the subject, but…

…but she was still an Elder and they didn't know what that meant. Would she be okay with it or would she stand with the other superiors and do something  _unfortunate?_

It was better not to gamble to find out.

After all, it was Diana's  _life_ the thing which they would be gambling with.

Diana's brows furrowed as she made a decision. "No one can find out." She looked up at Helena. "Guess it'll have to be our secret."

Helena placed a hand on the girl's cheek. "It pains me it has to be this way, Di. I wish things were different."

_But they're not._

A thought hit Helena, making her ask, "Are you going to tell Leo-"

"No." Diana cut her off, her blush back in full force. "I can't deal with this by myself, you think I'm going to be able to  _confess_ to her how I feel?" A snort. "Then  _I'm_ the one insane."

Helena raised a brow. "Okay there, no need to call me  _insane._ " Another thought came to her, making her ask something else, "You  _do_ know it's okay to talk about this with me, then?"

"If you weren't free of judgement, you wouldn't be able to be my friend, Lena." Diana pointed at herself. "Moon-addled Solari, remember?"

Helena laughed. "Yeah, I remember."

Both girls remained quiet for a minute, coming down from their emotional ride. As they finally managed to relax, Diana stood up, Helena mimicking her.

"I think you should go to your room and rest."

Helena nodded. "I think I should." She said, turning to go to the door.

But then, she quickly pivoted and hugged Diana with all of her strength, being surprisingly bone-crushing for someone so small.

"I love you." She let out, then released the girl, smiling.

Diana didn't let her get away though, as she caught her in an embrace being just as strong as hers.

"I love you too."

Helena left her room with a small smile on her lips and a secret locked away in her heart.

Diana remained by the now closed door, her forehead pressing against the wood as a sad sigh escaped her lips while her mind caught up with all that had been spoken between her best friend and her.

_I think I love her._

A tear escaped her eye.

She sunk to her knees.

And, for the first time since feeling it, she allowed herself to recognize it.

_I love her._

The candles burned out as she spent the night doing something other than reading.

They burned as she cried.

_Why must it be so hard?_

But accepting oneself was never easy.


	13. Chapter 13

When she opened her eyes, she realized she knew that place.

Perhaps it was the trees or the soft grass… She didn't know  _what_ exactly, but something seemed familiar.

She got up from the ground and walked for a bit, looking around.

A small, wooden structure appeared on her vision and she made her way towards it.

She found it hard to believe, but she was home, somehow.

She inspected the place; The same cabin by the woods, the same little girl bedroom...

The same beautiful, starred night.

She was home.

But  _how_? She didn't recall leaving the temple...

Did she ever even leave it?

Something moved in the bushes and her defensive instincts kicked in. Automatically, as if she had been designed for it, her body went through the motions; her feet moving until they were shoulder-length apart, her legs bent just enough to cushion an impact, every muscle clenched and tight as her hands floated into a position right in front of her, ready to turn into fists if necessary, a fight or flight decision that was hers to make.

"Marcus?" She called, just then becoming aware of his absence in her childhood's home.

But no one answered the call.

A frown formed upon her face as adrenaline began to course through her veins. She wasn't going to approach the bush and investigate; she'd rather wait where she was until the intruder showed itself. One could never be careful enough.

But the anomaly didn't happen again.

It made her nervous. Where was her former guardian? Was he safe?

Her nerves wouldn't get the best of her, though. She was made of iron; she would remain. Still standing still.

Then, as if rewarding her patient nature, the bush swayed mysteriously again.

But, this time, all of the bushes around her moved.

Something felt…  _odd_.

An eerie, ethereal thing was there, with her, sharing the same space, breathing the same air.

It didn't feel bad, but it did feel weird, as if that thing wasn't supposed to be there with her.

As if it weren't from her world.

As soon as she thought about it, something trapped her right where she stood. She knew it was this force of another existence; she felt it surrounding her...

... yet she couldn't see anything stopping her.

It was as if she was paralyzed.

Strangely enough, the force wasn't harming her, the pressure it applied on her body being enough to make her stay put, but refusing to hurt her if she struggled, allowing her to flex her body parts, clenching and unclenching, but refusing to let her go.

She even considered the strange pressure gentle,  _kind_.

And then a  _cold_  breath was on her neck, moving until it was on her ear.

She noticed her head wouldn't move, so she couldn't see who was behind her.

" _It begun here_." She heard someone say in a whispery, yet loud voice.

And suddenly her body was free.

But when she turned, there was no one around.

" _But creatures crawl_." The voice said again.

She felt a presence behind her.

But when Diana turned this time, a black, wolf-like creature lunged for her.

And she was caught by surprise.

She didn't know what to do as she saw the thing, pitch black, opening its' monstrous jaw and-

* * *

She woke up with a start, with sweat covering every part of her body, a silent scream on her throat, for its' expulsion had been replaced by a sharp intake of breath.

Unfocused eyes struggled to gather her surroundings as Diana inhaled and exhaled rapidly, deepening her breaths in order to try and slow down her breathing and her heart's beating.

When she was able to breathe normally again, her pulse normalizing, she sat up, trying to pinpoint where she was.

Diana looked around and noticed she was in her room in the Temple. Her eyes watched her bed, which lay some meters away from her, untouched, with curiosity.  _Did I sleepwalk away from it?_

She looked at the door right next to her and images of last night's happenings flooded her mind.

She remembered crying, then laying on the floor as she finished doing so.

She couldn't recall every getting up, but she did remember how exhausted she felt.

_I fell asleep on the floor._

Groggily, she got up, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. She opened the sole window in her bedroom, in hopes of learning what time it was. The hot shine of the Sun greeting her face, thought the celestial body was still low in the sky.  _Morning._

With a sigh, Diana took off her robe and used it to dry herself off, clearing her skin from the cold sweat. When she was done, she discarded it to a side, getting a clean one on and leaving her bedroom, beginning her day and shrugging off the nightmare.

_Just a bad dream._

She was still somewhat sleepy. After all, her night had been anything but good, her sleep restless. As Diana walked, she rubbed both her eyes, not really seeing where she was going since the way towards the library was already printed into her mind.

So she didn't see the moving obstacle until she crashed against it.

She couldn't react as the person fell to the ground, but not before grabbing her arm and bringing her down with them.

When Diana opened her eyes after the fall, she realized Leona was underneath her, a curious look on her eyes.

_And you happen to be on top of her._

"Leo! Sorry!" Diana quickly apologized, rushing to get up, but Leona was holding her in place, both of her hands on the girl's arms.

"Hey! Calm  _down._ " The warrior ordered gently as Diana slowly stopped battling her grip. When the other girl finally relaxed, Leona let go of her. "There."

Diana quickly stood up and offered the girl her hand, helping Leona up. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"That I've noticed," Leona said with an amused tone, chuckling at the girl's embarrassed look as she then added, "It's fine, Di. No harm was done."

The Solari exhaled slowly, trying to relax. "Good to know." She said, nodding as her eyes scanned Leona's body.

Then she realized she was staring.

And blushed deeper.

So she cleared her throat and changed the subject. "So, how are you this morning, Leo?"

Diana analyzed Leona as the girl stretched, her eyes lingering on her strong arms as the warrior extended them over her head, her eyes –thankfully –closed and her expression lazy, yet content. "I haven't slept so well in weeks. And you?" Leona inquired, cracking one eye open and looking at Diana.

But then she noticed the bags under the Solari's eyes, the tired, or, better said,  _exhausted_ expression on her face, the disheveled look…

"You look… tired."

Diana nodded. "I didn't sleep very well last night."

Concern took over Leona's features as she slowly approached Diana. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just had a nightmare." She shrugged, a playful smile on her lips. "Guess I got too scared to rest how I'm supposed to."

Leona chuckled, her hand going to Diana's waist. "Or perhaps something inside of you thinks nights are not meant for sleeping."

_What._

She  _knew_ Leona didn't mean it to sound like that. She  _knew,_ but her stupid heart and her even worse mind didn't, it seemed, for Leona's words were given another tone, another meaning, one that conjured  _so many_ sinful thoughts.

One that had Diana choking on her own spit, the girl coughing so as to be able to breathe again.

"Diana?" Leona called, unsure of what happened to the girl. "You okay?" Her hand moved from her waist to her back, the warrior getting even closer.

But the Solari took that moment to escape, subtly sidestepping her. She finished coughing, "Yeah, my throat's just dry."  _And I seem to be_ very  _thirsty. "_ Anyways, I've got a long day ahead, so I better get started," Diana said, resuming her walking towards the library.

"Oh, I see," Leona automatically responded. "Will I see you later?"

"Sure, why not." Diana called back. "Later!"

"Later." Leona echoed, letting the girl go, confused as to what that was. She frowned in confusion, muttering to herself. "Did I say something wrong…?" With a shrug, she turned and continued on her way.

Ignoring the bellowing laughter that had been resounding inside her mind.

"I'm already used to you." She said to herself, a triumphant smirk on her lips.

But that other voice just kept on laughing, too busy to pay her any attention.

_Whatever._

* * *

Diana reached the library in no time thanks to the brisk walk provoked by her previous encounter with Leona.

She frowned, trying not to think about the other woman, desperately hoping to avoid feeling that nauseous feeling in her stomach and the lump that formed around her throat. She was still struggling, still trying to come into terms with who she was and what she felt, but said task proved to be easier said than done, for she still felt a guilt-like kind of sadness every time she allowed herself to think about it.

So she opted for the easier way out, at least for a while; avoid the subject entirely until she felt a bit more prepared to face it.

She opened the doors and entered the library, finding Helena was already there as the smaller girl turned around at the sound of her entrance and offered her an easy smile. "Morning blessings, you."

Diana smiled and nodded, making an affirmative sound with her throat. She walked past Helena, who was sitting down at one of the large tables, and took a seat next to her, not minding the fact that the woman was staring at her, up and down.

"You look like shit." Helena commented with a hushed voice, a smirk on her face. "Did you go out to fight a bear or something like that after my visit?"

"Nope," Diana answered just as quietly, "I cried myself to sleep and then I had a nasty nightmare." She looked at Helena with a giant grin on her lips. "You know, my usual kind of night."

Helena looked at her for a second, then laughed, her shoulders shaking with the silent sound. "Sounds like a hell of a night. Too much fun for you, party animal."

Diana cackled, glad as always for the fact that Helena, sometimes, enjoyed the same stupid, dark and even self-deprecating kind of humor she adored. "You know me."

Still, the brunette laid a hand on Diana's shoulder, making her get serious for a minute, as her tone did the same. "I want you to remember that if you ever need someone to talk to-"

"I'm  _fine,_ Lena." Diana cut her off gently, a small smirk on her lips. "I just need time to process some stuff, but I think I'll be okay." She placed her hand on top of Helena's. "I know I will."

Helena offered her a smile. "You don't know how glad it makes me to hear you say that."

"You're getting cheesy,  _tyrant."_  Diana said with a wink of an eye, earning a playful punch on the arm from Helena. "Hey!"

"Come on, let's get to work." The other said, brushing off Diana's complaint.

They both stood up, Diana following Helena through the library. "What's today's task?"

"Some intense cleaning," Helena said over her shoulder as she moved towards the oldest section, which was accessible only for the Elders. "Mistress Sekhet told me she was given this task by Elder Akins, but that she has so many other things to do that she'd rather we took care of it for her instead."

Diana's brows rose. "Must be important if an Elder was handed the task, rather than an acolyte."

Helena nodded. "Yeah, Sekhet told me she delegated us to do it instead because she trusted we would keep our mouths shut about it." She looked over her shoulder at Diana, who stared back with confusion stamped on her face. "She told me The Elders refused to have her delegate the task to a lower rank, yet she's so busy she did it either way."

"So no one can know we're here." Diana stated.

"Exactly."

The raven haired girl snorted. "Sounds like my daily routine."

Helena cackled. "I know, right?"

They reached an old door, which laid somewhat hidden between two enormous bookshelves.

"I'm guessing it's here." Helena muttered more to herself than to Diana and tried to open the door, finding it locked.

"Not good." Diana commented as she watched Helena's attempt.

But the short haired woman just looked at her from over her shoulder, a sly gleam in her eyes. With her free hand, she pointed at a necklace she was wearing that Diana hadn't noticed before, especially since it was hidden underneath her robes.

When she had Diana's attention, she fished it from underneath the linen, only to show the other girl that the necklace was, in fact, an old key.

"Sekhet gave me this and told me that perhaps we would need it." She took the key off, pulling it away from around her neck and tried to unlock the door. She smirked as she heard the lock click, the door opening as she tried to push it again. "Guess she was right." Then, Helena stepped to a side and bowed, "Ladies first." She said, as she motioned for Diana to step inside.

The girl bowed as in gratitude. "Why, thank you!" She said as she stepped into the dusty section of the library, a laughing Helena following her.

As they entered the private section of the library the girls noticed how old the books, the shelves, even the structures seemed to be, the creamy paint of the walls fading due to age, cracks extending from the roof with spider webs on each corner and an old, humid kind of smell in the air.

Diana eyed the books, her fingers grazing the spine of each tome as she walked, marveled and saddened at how much knowledge was locked away in that room, confused as to why someone would let those books rot in silence, their covers unkempt and their pages rigid from years of disuse.

A frown formed on her face. "What did you say we had to do in here?"

"We have to weed out useless books."

"And what would make a book useless?" She questioned, grabbing a random tome and inspecting it, wondering why anybody would want to throw away a book, for she considered them to be sacred things; hidden treasures containing thousands of lessons yet to be learned.

Helena arched an eyebrow. "Well, Sekhet told me we were to separate legible books from those where the ink had bled the page. Then, we have to separate the legible ones in languages and, finally, we have to read them a bit and see if they teach something useful. If not, they're rubbish."

"Like the too-old-to-be-read ones?" Diana inquired. Helena nodded. "Okay." Diana breathed as she sported a look of determination on her face, ready to begin her strange task. "Where do we start?"

Helena thought about it for a second, then pointed at the shelves closer to Diana. "You tackle that section and I'll take care of this one." She signaled to the ones right in front of her.

Diana nodded in agreement as she turned to look at her side of the job. There were too many shelves and even more books. "This will take a while… are we all aware of that?"

"Yeah, Sekhet told me we could take as long as we need to clear this up, so we'll probably be taking care of this for…" She did the math inside her head. "a week?"

Diana nodded once more. "You could say."

"Okey, then," Helena said as she clapped her hands together once. "Let's get down to business." She approached she shelf closer to her and grabbed a handful of books, then walked towards the empty, dusty table and, after dusting it off, she sat down, opening the books to inspect their content.

"Right." Diana said after letting her eyes go over all the books displayed in front of her. Some seconds passed before she mimicked Helena, grabbing as many books as she could and walking towards the table, beginning her job.

* * *

Hours had passed, both girls were sure of that. The thing neither knew, though, was exactly how many.

Helena blinked forcefully a couple of times. "My eyes burn." She deadpanned, laughing after a second of silence. "I think they can't produce tears anymore."

"You're telling me," Diana responded, her eyes narrowed, not in concentration nor anything but the lack of enough strength to keep her eyes open, her eyelids having become too heavy for her some long hours ago. "I think my pupils have turned to sand already."

Diana heard a thump coming from Helena, making her look at her friend just to see her with her forehead slammed against the table. "I've had enough for today." She heard Helena's muffled voice say.

Diana huffed a laugh. "I can see that." She looked at the book currently between her hands, the pages so old she thought they would turn into dust between her fingers. "I think I've had enough, too." Her eyes wandered back to Helena once more. "Should we call it a day?"

Helena frowned. "I don't even know what time it is." She stated, but after a moment of pondering it, she shrugged. "Guess there's no harm in leaving it here for today, though."

Upon hearing her, Diana sighed in relief, thankful for her friend's mercy. Both girls organized the books they had already separated and left, not before locking the little, hidden room.

They hit the halls and realized the Sun was already low in the sky, dusk coloring the sky with an orange hue. Helena let out a low whistle.

"No wonder our eyes were fucked up; we spent all day locked up in there." She commented as she watched the sunset.

Diana's brows were on her hairline, the girl as surprised as her friend. "No wonder, indeed." She muttered, letting a yawn follow her words.

And a hungry growl echo in her stomach.

She blushed a bit, embarrassed at the sound, yet a tempted smile appeared on her face. "We're heading to the dining hall, right?"

Helena laughed. "By the Sun, yes." A brow rose in playful teasing. "You look so hungry I bet you could swallow me whole without even chewing." She stared ahead again as she added, "And I don't want to die like  _that."_

"That wouldn't be a glorious death like the one you deserve, my friend."

"It would be a lame one." Helena glanced at Diana over her shoulder. "Though it would be a banquet of a lifetime for you." A smile appeared on her lips. "Because I bet I'm delicious."

"Ah, yes," Diana retorted, the same playful smirk on her lips. "You're such a feast."

The girls laughed as they reached the dining hall and stepped into it, their relaxed stroll turning into a hurried walk to the table, their hunger being stronger than their need for a break.

But they never reached their table, for someone stepped into their way, halting their walk.

"There you are!" Leona said, a smile on her lips as her eyes went over both of them, then locked on Diana's. "I've been looking for you all day, where were you?"

Diana had been taken by surprise, not really expecting Leona's entrance. "I, uh-"

"We were busy, Leo." Helena interfered, saving her friend from revealing their secret task. "Too much work between our hands."

"Yeah, what she said." Diana added, nodding furiously as her eyes went from Leona to Helena, her movements halting abruptly when she noticed Helena's pointed look, one which seemed to send her a message.

_Calm the fuck down._

Diana exhaled slowly through her nose, knowing very well she couldn't.  _I could at least try, right?_

"Come," Leona said, completely unaware of the silent exchange as she held Diana's hand and guided her to her table. "Let's go have dinner."

_Ok, there goes my attempt at calming the fuck down._

Diana tried not to redden as she concentrated on anything but Leona's hand on hers.

She focused on her breathing and keeping it in check. She allowed her eyes to fall on Helena, to her left.

The girl was trying not to laugh at her expression. She mouthed something at her.  _You're cute._

And Diana felt the obligation of mouthing something back.  _Shut the fuck up._

A smug smile planted itself on Helena's lips.

They reached Leona's table and sat down, Helena immediately stuffing her face, Diana still too embarrassed to do something as she felt the other girls on the table watching her, jealousy at the fact that she could steal Leona's attention from them so easily being clearly displayed on their annoyed faces.

Diana rushed through dinner, taking her time to calm down but then following Helena's example and wolfing down on the food, the lack of any of it during the day making her feel ravenous. Afterwards, she went straight to her room, unaware of the fact that she was being followed by a certain Chosen.

"Diana!" The sudden sound of Leona's voice calling her made the Solari stop and turn, looking at the fast approaching warrior, who was basically jogging to catch up with her.

"What is it?" The Solari asked her once the Ra-Horak reached her.

Leona let out a single, long exhale, her trained stamina keeping her from panting after such a long run to reach Diana. "I just wanted you to wait for me." That dashing smile of hers grew on her face once more. "Wouldn't let you go back to your room on your own."

Diana could already feel the blush forming on her face, so she turned and resumed her walking, though she did it slowly, so Leona could follow her. "It's not like I can't go back by myself, you know?" She asked her with a little chuckle, trying to keep the fact that she was feeling all kinds of nervous hidden away.

"I know. I also know you could beat anyone's ass if they dared get on your way, but I wanted to walk with you." Leona simply said with a small shrug.

"And why is that?"

Leona raised a brow at Diana's question. "Why should I have a reason?"

Diana finally looked at her. "Everyone's got a reason for their behaviors. What's yours, my Chosen?"

Something flickered inside Leona's eyes upon hearing the other woman call her  _her Chosen._ "I'll tell you if you confess to me the reason behind your incessant questions."

Diana tried not to stutter. "What?"

But she had failed at keeping her cool and Leona was suddenly smiling, a smug look on her face. "Hm. No answer?"

"I," Diana shook her head once. "Ugh, shut up." She said, making Leona laugh. "You're annoying."

"You love me." Leona stated, matter-of-factly.

" _I don´t!"_ Came the quick stimulus response from Diana, who whipped her head to look at Leona, her voice going up two octaves as she muttered her denial, trying to fight her own fluster, her face contorted in an embarrassed frown.

Leona's look of surprise at the sudden reaction told her the girl had been playing and thus her reaction was more than unexpected, but then the warrior's expression began to turn more somber, so Diana quickly improvised, a playful smirk on her lips as she added, "Loving you would ruin my reputation as the lonely, moon-addled Solari." She stared straight ahead again, ignoring Leona's stare. "I've got to live up to my fame."

She heard Leona laugh and subtly let out a sigh of relief, glad she hadn't upset the other girl.

Leona didn't let silence settle over them as she walked even closer to Diana. "I was wondering," She breathed out and the raven haired girl had to inhale and exhale slowly, for she felt the girl too close to her. "Would you spend the night with me?"

Diana didn't have time to react as she took a false step and fell to the ground face first.

"Diana!" Leona hurriedly tried to help her up, "Are you okay-"

But the Solari was up again, no extra help from the warrior needed. "I'm good." She said in a strained voice as she carefully avoided eye contact with Leona, keeping herself busy by dusting off her robe. "Just a loose tile."

Leona inspected the ground around Diana with a frown on her face. "I don't see any-"

"Anyways!" Diana broke her focus on the ground by raising her voice and clapping her hands together. "Back to our stroll." She said, quickly moving, feeling Leona's eyes on her due to her strange behavior.

With a shrug, Leona followed. "So…?"

"So what?"

"Do you want or not?" Leona asked.

"The what?" Diana didn't look at her as she responded.

The warrior laughed. "To come to my room instead of yours."

"Oh," Diana begun, but a yawn interrupted her words.

It made Leona smile, her eyes lazily settled on Diana's as the Solari wiped a tear with her thumb. "Or perhaps you should go to yours and rest."

"I'm sorry." Diana apologized in between yawns.

Leona chuckled. "It's alright," She moved towards Diana, unaware of the way the girl's cheeks seemed to redden as her proximity increased. "Good night." She whispered, planting a kiss on Diana's cheek as her hand toyed around on her waist. When she pulled away, the Solari could have sworn she felt Leona's lips drag close to her own.

_Just how much can she fuck up my senses?_

"Good night." Diana retorted before hurriedly going to her room, leaving Leona behind, the warrior sporting a confused look.

A frown formed on her face as she watched Diana leave. "Did I do something…?" She trailed off, unsure of what had just happened.

Again, inside her head she could only hear thundering laughter.

She groaned. "What is it that you always find so funny?" She muttered to herself as she began to walk towards her room.

* * *

Diana opened her eyes.

She was on her cliff, the one she only shared with Leona.

Only it was dark.  _Nighttime,_ she thought, but neither the Moon nor the stars were anywhere above her, the sky being an empty, dark void.

Still, she looked up into the infinite darkness, closed her eyes and breathed, letting her lungs fill with the fresh air.

That same presence that had imprisoned her the other night came for her. She felt it surrounding her again, but this time in a more companionship like manner, feeling the pressure that kept her in place more like a friendly arm over her shoulders than a shackling stranglehold.

She opened her eyes, still looking up. The Moon had appeared over her head.

" _Behind you."_  That voice, the one from the other night, said, making her turn.

Making her face the dark demon again, as it lunged for her throat once more.

Only this time, she didn't move at all. Her heart didn't beat faster; her breathing didn't speed up.

She only smiled at it as she said, "You're not real."

And just like that, the demon turned into a black mist, disappearing into the air in the form of fog.

" _You are right,"_ The voice said, its' ethereal hold on her shifting so as to caress her cheek. " _It's not real. It's never been."_

Diana smirked, a triumph making her chest puff out in pride.

" _But what about this?"_ The voice's hold on her transformed and it seemed to Diana that someone was holding her from behind, their hands on her shoulders. " _Is this real?"_

Then, the scenery changed right in front of her and suddenly Diana wasn't on that cliff anymore, but in the library.

In the restricted section.

She rose a brow, ready to tell the voice that no, nothing was real, for it was all just a dream, a mere product of her imagination.

But then she saw Helena entering the room, a lazy look on her face as she walked  _through_ Diana…

And a mirror image of herself followed suit, looking as tired as she had felt during the day.

" _What did you say we had to do here_?" Her…  _twin_ said, a frown on her face.

" _We have to weed out useless books_." Helena responded.

_I remember saying that._

Diana shook her head a bit, confused about what was happening. "This… This  _was_ real, this morning." She finally responded the voice's inquiry.

" _Not_ was,  _dear;_ is." The unidentifiable voice said as it made the girl turn to look at the shelves instead of the girls, who now were skimming through the books. " _Look over here next time."_ The voice said, and suddenly its' owner was stretching their hand,  _her_ hand, Diana noticed, as a feminine arm extended, its' fingers pointing at some books, the digits offering the only piece of skin visible, the pigment pale, the rest of the arm covered in a black, strange linen and silver pieces of armor.

Diana tried to turn to get a look at the woman's face-

* * *

She woke up with a start and, as her eyes refocused, she realized she was back in her room.

_Damn it._

This time, she hadn't wanted to wake up. Her curiosity was starting to get the best of her.

Still, she got up and ready for the day, despite the fact that she felt  _weird._ After all, she picked her nightmare from the night before up, almost exactly where she had left it and transformed the nightmarish hallucination into a stranger –and safer –dream.

 _How curious_.

Doing her best to shrug the thought off, she walked out of her room, towards the library. Once there, she met with Helena at the door that lead to the Elders' section.

As both girls fell into a focused trance, they resumed the task which had been abandoned the day before, Helena swiftly skimming through some illegible books and discarding them as useless while Diana took her time picking up books from her assigned shelves.

As she mindlessly read their spines, playing a little game with herself and reading the books that could spike her curiosity first, she noticed an old, black tome with no name on it, the object catching her attention for some reason.

As she frowned at it, trying to conjure a cause to her strong intrigue, she remembered something.

More specifically, a pale hand that had pointed at a book.

At that same exact book she had in front of her.

 _What an interesting… coincidence_.

She tried not to give it too much thought, shrugging it off as her mind playing tricks on her, considering the idea that perhaps she had seen the book yesterday and she just remembered it in her dream.

She  _tried_ not to think about it, for the more she did, the more uneasy she felt, as the fortuity seemed less like it and more like  _something else._

Still, her curiosity had been triggered and she was playing a game, after all.

So she grabbed the book and went to the table, sitting down and opening it, going to its' first page.

She soon realized the book was written in the Old Rakkor, meaning the tome was far older than those written in the common tongue.

Her eyes scanned the title,  ** _The Eternal Cycle._**

And a frown formed upon her face.

_Eternal Cycle…?_

Unhurriedly, not wishing to make her friend suspicious of her attitude, she flipped the page, trying to read it, but failing at it; the vocabulary the book used being far too complex for her to understand.

_I can't even deduce these words by context… too many new words._

She skimmed through the pages, stopping to look at one with a particular drawing that caught her attention; A symbol of a golden sun, much like the one the Solari displayed as their banner, although it lacked the eagle that surrounded her religion's version. Inside the sun, rather than gold, a silver grey expanded, creating a perfect circle inside the sun's rays, thought it had a belly-like curve on its' lower half.

She tried not to gasp when she realized it was the Lunari symbol; a crescent moon inside a full one.

But the Lunari sigil was combined with a Solari-like one…

 _What_ is  _this book?_

She skimmed through the book again and stopped at a random section of it, trying to read it. Her attempts proved useless, for she couldn't make out more than a word or two, but those words were enough as she read them, frowned, then read them again.

**_Thus the Eternal Cycle is represented by the two faces of harmony; the Avatars of our deities._ **

_Avatars, in plural?_

Suddenly the book became interesting enough that she decided she was going to look at those Old Rakkor scrolls again, learn a few things that perhaps she deemed as unimportant.

She closed the book and, nonchalantly so as not to alert Helena, stood up and hid the book away on the shelf closer to the entrance.

As she was making her way back towards the table, her eyes scanned the shelf where the book had been before. A brow rose in suspicion.

_Just how many more secrets do you hide?_

She was intent on discovering them all.

* * *

Sneaking the book out of the library had been easy enough, the other tome that she also took with her being enough to discourage any suspicions.

Diana grew anxious by the minute; all she had to do was survive what little was left of the day –the long walk from the dining hall towards her room –and then she would be able to study that weird book.

But having had to act laid back all throughout the day, dinner included, wasn't enough of a challenge, it seemed, for she felt a very familiar presence following her down the hall, like she did the day before.

She didn't even let the girl surprise her as she turned to look at her fast approaching figure. "What's up, Leo?"

Leona halted in front of her, a curious look on her face. "How did you know it was me?"

Diana smirked, trying to suppress a laugh. "I've got a special, sixth sense that allows me to detect you when you're around."

Leona laughed. "I want one of those."

"Did you need something?" Diana asked her, realizing she desired for Leona to dismiss her for the first time since meeting her.

The question surprised her a bit, but the warrior didn't think much about it. "Well, not  _need,_ but more like  _want._ " She stated, a smirk on her lips as she got in Diana's personal space.

The Solari could feel a blush beginning to form, her nerve endings turning into electricity all over her body. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly through her nose.

_Don't let her get to you. Do something, gremlin._

She opened her eyes and looked at Leona with a practiced ease and an arched eyebrow. "Why is it that you keep pursuing me?"

Leona blinked once and did her best not to stutter, but she failed miserably. "What- Why," She clicked her tongue. "What do you mean?"

"You're always getting  _this close_ to me," Diana said, moving even closer to Leona, doing her best not to pay any attention to it, but the proximity of her nose to Leona's making her too aware of it. "And you kind of shouldn't, you know?"

"Why," Leona let out in a whisper-like voice, her breath ghosting over Diana's mouth. "You're going to bite me?"

The Solari refused to give her taunting words much thought, opting to focus on the question instead. "Because it was okay for you to be this close to me when you were a Ra-Horak, but it's an attitude that will be frowned upon as a Solari." She rose her brows. "And that's what you are now, a Solari, like me."

"You know I'm like this with everyone-"

"And you know I don't mind the closeness," Diana interrupted, closing her eyes so as to focus on what she wanted to say, "But  _others_ do." She said, emphasizing her sentence on the right places so as to make her point.

But then Leona's flustered look was replaced, her lazy gaze scanning Diana's face, then settling on her lips. "There are no  _others_ here, though, right?" She muttered, low enough to make her voice deepen.

Diana's eyes reopened, meeting Leona's as they shifted back to the raven haired girl's pupils. "You're desperate to get me in trouble, aren't you?" Diana said back just as low, a teasing smirk on her face as Leona just stared, unable to respond to the girl.

Then Diana was planting a kiss on Leona's cheek,  _accidentally_ close to the corner of the warrior's mouth, but not even grazing her lips. "Good night, Leo." She said with a bored tone as she pulled away and walked to her room.

She fought the urge to look back at Leona, so she never saw the Ra-Horak staring at her form, her jaw hanging in the air as she gaped at Diana, a crimson color on her neck and cheeks.

As she reached her room, she locked the door and looked for her Old Rakkor scrolls. Upon finding them, she extended them over the floor as she opened the black book and, slowly, began reading it, searching for the words she did not understand on the scrolls she possessed.

It was slower than she hoped and it was frustrating her to no end, but she managed to read the first paragraph.

**_We can define harmony as the equilibrium and adequate correspondence of the different sides of a whole. As we know, everything in this existence has two sides; the beginning and the end, life and death, light and dark, night and day, Sun and Moon. This existence is presented to us, then, as a cycle, the Eternal Cycle; everything that begins will eventually end. What today lives, will die tomorrow. As night fades away, a new day begins, which will consequently end, too, to give place to another night. One cannot exist without the other, for there's no shadows without light, but no light without darkness to be illuminated. This is the Eternal Cycle; the pursuit of balance between two understanding, collaborating parts._ **

Diana stopped reading.

"What  _is_ this?" She questioned, her voice barely a whisper as she blinked forcefully, trying to relax her strained, dry eyes, but failing as they closed on their own accord.

She was too tired, her sight too beaten for her to keep abusing it.

She hid the book and the scrolls, climbing into her bed, hoping to see whoever had pointed her towards the book.

* * *

She opened her eyes and found herself in her room.

The feeling of that otherworldly presence was the only thing that indicated her that she wasn't awake and was actually dreaming.

"Hello?" She tried to communicate with the woman, hoping for an answer.

But silence stretched.

She was about to give up and give in to the idea that perhaps she had imagined it all, this stranger being just a very creative hallucination when she heard the mysterious voice. " _What have you learned today?"_

Her brows rose. "You're here."

" _I never left."_

Diana got up from her bed and picked up the black book. "This thing," She said to the stranger, though she couldn't see her anywhere, so she looked at nothing in particular, pivoting around the room. "What is this, how did you know about it?"

But, as the other being refused to answer, offering silence instead, she realized that perhaps she was making the wrong questions as the right one popped into her head.

"Why are you showing  _me_ this?"

And then she felt the other  _smile._

That cold breath was on her ear, the presence behind her.  _"Come and find us when you can."_

Diana closed her eyes and turned around. The presence was still there, her cold breath now on her face, but stronger on her lips, as if they were of the same height.

" _For now, you've got an awful lot of reading to do."_

Diana opened her eyes.

* * *

She couldn't remember the face she saw upon opening her eyes.

It made her furious at herself.

All she could recall were grey, stormy eyes.

_No, not grey. Silver._

Silver eyes… and silver hair.

That was all she knew.

_Fuck._

Her eyes wandered back to that black book.

Determination took hold of her as she left her room, more than ready to get Sekhet's task done, if only to have more time to translate the old, strange tome.

Still, despite the self-confidence, Diana felt a bit uneasy.

It was kind of strange, she thought, to  _still_ feel that strange presence over her.

_She said she never left._

_Perhaps she also meant she'd never leave._


	14. Chapter 14

"What is it?" Diana asked Helena after hearing her mutter something under her breath.

The two of them had been at the library since sunrise, almost every illegible book already thrown away, leaving the shelves almost empty, as they now contained a few tomes, the only ones that one could read without struggling.

Helena still had a questionable book or two, though, so she had been checking those as Diana moved on to the next part of their task; to separate the books in languages.

But then the short haired girl had mumbled something as she battled with one of her targets, making Diana look at her over the book she was inspecting.

She noticed Helena was frowning. "It's nothing important, really," Helena responded with a sigh as she rubbed her eyes, resting them for a second. "I just don't know what to do with this one."

Diana got up from her seat. "I'll help you," She said as she moved, standing behind her friend and looking at the writing on the pages. Half of it was impossible to read, as if someone had spilled water over the ink, making it a black stain. "What's got you confused? Nobody's reading that."

"No, but there are some parts that can be read…" Helena said slowly, as if thinking of whether she should say it or not.

It made Diana frown at her, for it raised some suspicion.

The task was simple; if the book had chunks of it missing, it was to be discarded. The book between Helena's hands had whole paragraphs, probably pages, even chapters, missing. Therefore, the girl was to regard it as useless.

Still, she was reluctant to let go of it.

_What's up with that?_

"And what do those parts say?" She dared ask, speaking just as slowly as Helena had.

"Well, they…" Helena began, but trailed off as she realized she didn't have the answer. "I'm not sure, actually." She frowned at the book as she flipped the pages. "It seems this book talks about something entirely unrelated to the Solari…"

Diana took a seat next to her. "May I see?" She asked, letting Helena give her the book. She opened it and looked for a legible paragraph somewhere in it.

"Here," Helena said as she manipulated the pages, directing Diana to the text that had caught her attention. "Check this out."

Diana looked at where Helena pointed and read what she could out loud. "… _thus breaking the rule of balance that guides the Empyrean's way."_ She frowned. "Empyrean?" Diana looked at her friend. "What's that?"

Helena shook her head. "I know as much as you, Di, but, judging from what I saw somewhere here…" Helena said, making her turn the page, revealing one with a symbol on it, though it seemed to have been written over. "It seems it's another kind of religion. Their symbol," She pointed at the sigil on the page. "Seems to be some kind of Sun, though it's hard to tell; someone stained its' center, but the rays are still here and they happen to be golden, so I'm just guessing."

Diana gulped, for that symbol looked awfully similar to one she had been reading about last night... "You think it's a religion? Like, instead of being a Solari, being an Empiryean?"

"Yes." Helena responded with a vigorous nod, her eyes intensely set on Diana's. "Judging by what little I could understand, it's a religion." Helena frowned, then, correcting herself and looking at the book as she added, "Well,  _extinct_ religion, since this is the first time I've ever heard about it. And they seemed to have worshipped the Sun, too." She looked at Diana once more. "What do you think of it?"

Diana felt uneasy; should she tell her about The Eternal Cycle? "I don't know, Lena. This is all too weird. Why would we have books about another religion in here?"

Helena shrugged. "Perhaps it's a religion sibling to ours. Think about it; we both praise the Sun."

"Do we both hate the Moon?" Diana asked, finally.

And saw Helena bite her own tongue.

"Helena."

The short haired girl looked like she hoped Diana hadn't seen her unconscious reaction. "What?"

"Come on, tell me."

"The what?"

Diana narrowed her eyes at her friend. "You're hiding something from me."

Helena shook her head. "I'm not!"

Diana's look turned into a glare. "Don't lie to me."

And Helena's expression turned as aggressive as Diana's "I'm  _not_ lying to you." She had the nerve to look  _hurt._ "How dare you accuse me of it?"

Having had enough, Diana raised a brow. "Fine," She got up from her seat. "Guess there's no problem in showing this to the Elders then," She said as she quickly moved towards the door, the half-destroyed book in her hands.

Helena panicked, considering the idea that her friend might actually carry out her threat. "Diana, wait!" She stood up and tried to prevent Diana from leaving, but the girl swiftly passed the threshold and closed the door with a loud bang, leaving Helena inside.

The short haired girl started pushing the door, hoping it would open, but Diana was locking it in place with her body from the other side, the taller girl being stronger than her feisty friend.

"Diana, open up!" Helena shouted, her breathing quickening. " _Please!"_

"Perhaps you should ask Lycia, I bet she would open it!" The angry Solari retorted, unaware of the fear that gripped Helena's heart.

The trapped girl had tears already running down her cheeks. "Diana,  _please,"_ She turned around, looking at the tiny room she was in, feeling as if the walls were closing in on her.

Slowly, she slid on the door into a sitting position, her hands going to her face as she got dizzy, sweat covering her forehead. " _Diana!"_ She cried out, a lump forming around her throat, her breathing too fast.

The proud Solari that locked her inside realized then that something was awfully wrong with her friend, her eyes growing in size as she recognized the pure terror in Helena's trembling voice. "Fuck," She let out, the reaction being stronger than her.

As quickly as she had locked her in the first place, Diana opened the door, throwing herself over her friend, trying to inspect her friend, who was basically a shaking figure. "Lena it's okay! It's-"

But then Helena was pushing her away, fury coating her frightened features, the tear tracks on her cheeks looking more like war paint. "Fuck off!" She got up from the floor by herself, "Fuck  _you_!" She screamed at Diana, who was still on the floor.

The other Solari stood up, trying to reason with her friend. "Lena," She began, approaching the scared girl.

But Helena was pushing her away once more. "Don't call me that!" She roared. Upon seeing Diana's astonished look, her angry expression turned cruel. "I hope you're happy." She let out in a low, angry voice, though in Diana's ears it sounded like the loudest of screams.

Then Helena turned and left, leaving Diana all by herself in the cramped room.

The girl felt terrible. She sighed, sitting down for a minute.  _What have I done?_

She wanted to go after her friend, explain that, had she known her reaction would be such, she'd never have locked her.

But Diana knew Helena, and she knew the girl needed her space.

So she turned towards the table and grabbed some of the books on it, continuing the task both her best friend and here had been handed, though her heart was heavy with guilt and her mind occupied with concern for the brunette.

_There go my chances of concentrating._

* * *

Helena saw the Sun move from one tip of the sky to the other as she basked in her warmth from her position in the gardens.

After her fight with Diana, the girl had run towards someplace where she could feel at ease. Someplace open, with no walls to make her feel asphyxiated.

She had sat down near the fountain, letting her heart come down from its' speed high. At some point during her escapade, she saw Leona arrive, several scholars following her.

She had snorted, thinking them to be simple admirers, but then she noticed Leona's soldier uniform and how the others were wearing similar attires, making the girl frown in confusion, catching her attention as she studied what could it mean.

Then Leona was making them go through drill after drill, the exhausting exercises burning out any kind of energy the acolytes had in them, while the former Ra-Horak pushed them harder and harder, until they exceeded their limits.

"Come on, this is like breakfast for the Ra-Horak! The real training hasn't started yet." The warrior said in an authoritative voice, though the smile on her lips added some gentleness to her tone.

"But we are not Ra-Horak!" A boy whimpered as sweat ran down his forehead and he threw himself to the ground, hoping to lay down for a bit and rest.

But then Leona was above him, grabbing him by his wrist and, with one, swift pull, bringing him up easily and forcing him to stand. The smile was gone from her face as her expression turned serious. "And at this pace," she said, loudly so that everyone would hear, but with a deep, growl-like tone. "You'll  _never_  be."

The boy grew pale, uncomfortable under the piercing, golden gaze. He began stuttering.

But then Leona's expression turned ridiculously friendly again. "I'm playing!" She said, patting him on the cheek twice as she laughed. She returned to her starting position, right in front of every acolyte. "You are all so easily scared! I haven't had such fun in a while." She added with a big grin.

Helena looked at the acolytes and noticed them all looking at Leona with pure adoration in their eyes. She was in disbelief.  _Are they all a bunch of masochists, to be following her training drill? Damn._

Still, though the exercises seemed hard, they were nothing like the ones Leona would force Diana to endure with her when they trained together.

A sigh escaped her lips at the thought of her friend. A part of her knew it wasn't her fault; how in heaven was the girl to know about her claustrophobia if she never did tell her?

But the other part, the irrationally angry one, still condemned her friend's behavior. Yes, she had been hiding some information, but it was for the girl's own good.

A sad look was etched on her face as she thought. How many times was Helena forced to see Diana being flogged until passing out for being up late, staring at the night's sky?

 _No._ She refused to let it happen again.

So that meant that she couldn't tell her friend that the Empyreans also seemed to have venerated the Moon.

She couldn't, because she refused to let her friend go through those punishments ever again. She would do anything in her power to prevent Diana from being harmed.

She wouldn't tell the girl because she was certain of an awful thing; were Diana to suggest an alliance between the Sun and the Moon, the punishment wouldn't be as simple as some physical pain or some extra tasks.

No; she knew the punishment for such kind of heresy would be death.

And the thought of a world without her Diana, without her dearest friend, saddened her to no end.

She groaned and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, pissed at herself.

What a fool she had been.

How careless it was of her, to have said that this old religion, apparently, was alike the Solari,  _right_  in front of the  _moon-addled_ girl.

_I can't be this slow to learn._

Now Diana wouldn't let the subject go. She knew it.

 _I_ had  _to be that dumb and say it out loud,_ she thought, shaking her head.

 _Can't I filter my thoughts and keep them in my mind rather than just_ saying  _them?_

She had the bad habit of having to think out loud when she was connecting different pieces of information.

She knew it would, one day, come around to bite her in the ass. Still, she hadn't expected it to be so soon and with something so  _important._

She also knew that her inability to lie would one day represent a problem. Again, she never thought it would represent a problem with  _Diana._

_Well, I never thought I would have to lie to her in the first place._

She sighed once more, mentally admitting her own defeat, her eyes squinting as she looked up at the Sun, closing her eyes when the light became blinding, relishing on the warmth it spread on her face.

She opened her eyes as she lowered her gaze, settling it back on Leona, mindlessly watching the acolytes mimic her actions as she instructed them on how to wield a shield as an offensive weapon rather than a defensive, additional piece of armor.

But her mindless concentration was broken as she saw the former Ra-Horak staring at someone that approached from her behind her, beyond the fountain.

As their footsteps grew louder, Helena saw Leona smile, though a confused look was etched upon her features. "Diana."

But Diana didn't care for Leona at the moment as she completely ignored the soldier, moving directly towards Helena.

The short haired girl stood up quickly as the moon-addled Solari halted to a complete stop in front of her.

"Lena, please, I'm-"

"We need to talk." Helena stated, successfully silencing the nervous Diana.

As the girl just stood there, looking at the shorter acolyte, Helena allowed herself to really look at her, realizing there were tear tracks on her cheeks.  _She's cried._

She sighed, though the serious expression remained on her face. "Follow me." She told Diana, walking towards her bedroom as the Solari followed like a lost puppy.

The walk towards Helena's room was silent, as Diana was too unsure of how to begin apologizing and Helena was too focused on reaching her dorm, refusing to speak before being somewhere private.

Once they made it there, Helena let Diana in and locked the door. As she turned to look at Diana, the girl began.

"Lena, I beg you forgive-"

"Shut up." Helena said immediately, trying to silence Diana.

But the girl was having none of it, as she tried again. "I just-"

"Shut. Up."

"But-"

"Honestly, which part of  _shut up_ aren't you comprehending?" Helena asked sassily, with annoyance on her voice. "The  _shut?_ Or the  _up?"_

She smirked smugly when she noticed she had actually succeeded at silencing Diana this time.

 _"_ Sit down." Helena said as she pushed Diana to her bed, the girl complying to her demand.

The brunette began pacing around her room. "Just so you know, in case we ever fight like that again," She said, eyeing Diana. "I suffer claustrophobia, so I recommend you do anything  _but_ lock me in some tight place."

"Lena-" Diana attempted, only to be silenced by Helena again.

"Quiet!" She said in an angry whisper, giving the girl a stern look. "I'm not finished." She stopped pacing and closed her eyes, sighing. "You were right; I  _was_ hiding something." Once she opened them again, she saw Diana was about to say something, but another angry glare got her silenced. "I had my reasons, though."

Helena moved to the bed and sat down next to Diana. "There's something that's happened to me that I never told you, Di." She looked at anything but the girl in front of her. "The first time you  _really_ got punished for your…  _inclinations,_ Elder Eos cornered me and gave me a  _special task._ " She got comfortable on her seat as she continued, "He told me I was to correct your erroneous curiosity or be punished alongside you."

The confession had Diana rising her brows in surprise, but then a sudden frown took over. "But I got punished several more times after that one and you were never-"

"My punishment was to be different in nature to yours. You see," Helena said, closing her eyes. "While you were flogged until exhaustion under the midday Sun…"

She trailed off, a shaky breath going out instead of words. After taking a moment to steel herself, she tried again, locking eyes with Diana.

"While you were flogged, I was forced to watch you suffer. You've got no idea of how it pained me, to have to sit through it all," Helena finally looked away, the sorrow in Diana's eyes too much for her to bear. "Every time I heard the crack of the whip, my heart would break in a million pieces." She closed her eyes, shaking her head. "If having to watch you suffer was  _that_ painful, I can't even begin to imagine the pain you've endured."

Diana felt her own heart breaking. "Lena…"

" _That_ 's why I can't tell you what I know, Di." Helena said, finally opening her eyes, tears on them as she locked them with Diana's again. "It's because I care too much about you. I refuse to let you suffer like that again."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Helena…"

She opened her eyes and saw Diana offering her a sad smile, her own eyes watery. "First things first, I hope you can find it in you to forgive me for my stupidity from before."

Helena chuckled as she wiped a tear. "Apology accepted. I always knew you were too stupid, anyway."

Diana snorted, shrugging at the girl's words, then going serious again. "Now, I know that you want to protect me, and trust me when I say this; I don't want to go under the whip ever again in my life, not only because of me, but now also because of  _you,"_ Diana emphasized, letting the girl know she was far more concerned about her mental wellbeing than her own physical safety. "But I can't let you keep whatever information you have secret."

Helena was about to protest. "Diana-"

"Please, let me finish." The Solari cut her off, her way of doing so kinder than her friend's. "Helena, I've always tried to keep my curiosity for the Moon far away from you –and anyone else –just because I don't want anyone getting into trouble because of my own moronic behavior." Diana confessed, basically admitting she was always aware of the danger she was putting herself in with her antics, "But I can't keep this curiosity away from myself. You have no idea of how the night  _calls_ to me,  _begs_ for my presence." Diana shook her head. "There's something not entirely right with me. With the Solari, I follow along, but it doesn't mean I  _belong,_ Lena." Diana said, a small smirk upon hearing her riddle-like sentence, like those she would write only for her best friend. "This search for knowledge, for answers to questions I dare not ask, is nothing but my desire to understand what's happening with me and why this… this  _reality_ feels so  _wrong."_

Diana sighed as she grabbed Helena's hands and played with them, her eyes following her actions. "I will respect your desire to keep whatever you know a secret, but you must understand; if you don't tell me what you know, it'll only leave room for me to make assumptions," She looked up at Helena. "And that may be even more dangerous than just telling me the truth."

Helena stared back, a pained expression on her face. "There's no talking you out of it, right?" Upon seeing Diana shake her head no, she sighed, "Fine. You win. I'll tell you what I know." Then, Diana was smiling, "Under one condition, though." She finally added.

It made Diana frown. "Which one?"

Helena closed her eyes, getting ready to just say it.  _I'm going to hate myself for this._

"This research of yours… we do it  _together._ Whatever I learn I promise I'll tell you about it, but you have to tell me everything you know, too." Her brows furrowed in a look of cryptic determination. "If we're about to commit heresy, we might as well do it as a team."

Diana didn't like the sound of it. "Helena, you know how dangerous that is?"

Helena nodded. "And that's why I don't want you going through it alone."

Diana tried to think of a way out, but found none. "There's no talking you out of it, isn't it?" She echoed Helena's previous words. Upon seeing her shake her head, she sighed just like the brunette had done before, admitting defeat. "Fine."

Diana's compliance had Helena beaming when she remembered something. "Oh, and no talking about this to the Elders. You know they don't listen."

Diana was grimacing. "Oh, trust me, I won't." Her grimace turned worse as she added, "I learned that lesson the hard way."

The two girls laughed a bit, then fell silent for a moment, before Diana broke it.

"So, should we head back to the library?" She asked her friend.

Helena shook her head. "Since we got no deadline, I guess we could call it a day and just talk about our new  _project._ "

Diana nodded. "Okay. We should go back to lock the Elder's section, though."

"Agreed," Helena said, getting up from the bed.

Both girls went back to the library, locking the restricted section up, not before grabbing the book that had caused them to fight in the first place.

"We should go to  _my_ room," Diana said, an apologetic look on her face as she added, "There's something I think I should show you."

Helena raised a brow in question. "Oh, have  _you_ been hiding something from me?"

Diana turned a bit red as she looked away. "Innocent until proven guilty."

"The red on your cheeks is enough proof that you're anything but innocent." Helena teased her, though she was smiling as she walked side by side with the girl, already knowing the way to her room.

While they walked, a thought occurred to Helena. "Does Leona know anything about all of this?"

"No," Diana quickly responded. "It's enough that she doesn't mind my… quaintness. I don't need her getting involved in things that might get her hurt."

"You know she's the Chosen One, right? Like, they cannot touch her." Helena stated matter-of-factly.

"I know," Diana said, her eyes cast on the ground. "But I also know Eos is capable of anything. I don't want her getting harmed."

They walked in silence the rest of the trip, though Helena couldn't shake one thing out of her mind; Leona didn't mind that Diana was in love with the Moon.

And Leona should be the first one to mind, considering her status.

_Makes one think, doesn't it?_

They reached Diana's bedroom and got inside, Diana quickly looking for something hidden underneath her bed.

"The other day, while we were reading those old books," She said as she grabbed The Eternal Cycle and got it out from underneath her bed. "I found this one on one of the shelves."

Helena grabbed the book and opened it to inspect it, immediately frowning. "I can't read this."

"It's in Old Rakkor," Diana explained. "But the language used is far more complex than what I've learned, so I have to use the scrolls to translate it."

Helena's brows rose. "It must take you a while."

Diana nodded. "It does."

"And what does it talk about?" Helena asked as she raised an eyebrow.

Diana was a bit reluctant, for Helena hadn't told her anything yet, but she decided she had to be the one to take the first step. She considered she owed her it, after her wrongdoings during their fight. "Well, I haven't translated much, but it talks about how our existence is dictated by a constant search for balance, which is only met when two understanding parts collaborate with each other. It talks about how one cannot exist without the other and I believe it's referring to the Sun and the Moon, basically because of this." She finished, flipping the pages until she reached the one with the Sun and Moon symbol.

Helena's look was one of complete surprise. "It's like the one in my book, only this one is complete."

Diana nodded. "It has the Lunari symbol inside a Solari-like one."

"Well," Helena said as she moved towards Diana's bed, akin a seat. "Since you told me about your discoveries, I guess it's only fair I tell you about mine." Helena opened her book and went to a seemingly random page. "Here," She said, pointing to a paragraph. "In this part, the author explains how the  _solar_ adoration was carried out by the training of the body, while the  _lunar_ adoration happened during the training of the mind. The Empyrean seemed to adore both the Sun and the Moon through opposing rituals which could be combined to reach a  _perfect balance,_ according to what the author says in  _here._ " She finished, pointing to another line in the book.

Diana was completely astonished. "So, if your book's about balance, just like mine-"

"It means your book is also talking about the Empyrean. The symbol in that page must be their sigil, like our Sun and Eagle and the Lunari crescent Moon inside the full one."

Diana didn't know what to say. For the first time in all of her lifetime, she had found a religion that seemed to follow what she used to believe were her own thoughts and opinions regarding the Sun and the Moon.

_An entire religion that agrees with what I say._

_Perhaps I've been an Empyrean all along and I'm just finding out._

_But why am I_ just  _finding out?_

"There's just one thing that does not make sense." Diana finally said, a frown on her face. "If there's a religion that supports the idea of the Sun and the Moon being allies instead of enemies, why are there two other religions that oppose the Sun to the Moon?"

Helena frowned, thinking of it. "You're right. Why would we have people following the Sun and hating the Moon and others following the Moon and hating the Sun?"

Diana shook her head. "I don't understand."

"Maybe, and I'm letting my imagination fly here," Helena said animatedly as she allowed herself to think. "Maybe Solari and Lunari were once the Empyrean, but something happened that made them hate each other."

Diana's frown deepened. "That makes no sense."

"Why not?"

"Why would something like that happen in the first place? Why would two deities suddenly hate each other?"

Helena raised a brow. "I'm not saying the Sun and the Moon began the conflict. For all I know, they may even still be allied to one another."

Diana tried to follow Helena's train of thought, but was failing.

Specially so since that odd presence was  _all around them._ "Then?"

The short haired brunette shrugged. "Us humans are very greedy, evil creatures. Perhaps someone with enough power planted a seed of doubt among their followers, strong enough to make them all split in two and force the Empyrean religion to fall apart, dividing it in two."

 _The more I think about it… The more sense it makes._ "You may be right."

Helena smirked smugly. "I'm  _always_ right." She toyed around with her book, flipping the pages randomly, until one with a curious picture caught her attention. "Oh."

"What is it?" Diana asked as she approached the girl, trying to see what she was looking at.

"This," Helena said as she turned the book around, letting Diana see. She pointed at a picture of what appeared to be a man with a sword on his hand.

But when Diana looked closer, paying more attention, she noticed the man, who was dressed in a black and red leather armor, was wielding an uncanny kind of sword; the weapon had a slightly longer hilt than the normal kind and displayed a curved blade rather than a straight one.

Diana stared in awe, the image of that curved sword burnt into her mind. She had never felt comfortable with any kind of weapon, the girl always choosing swords or spears to spar because of the speed they allowed, but still; she always found herself  _uncomfortable_ with them.

Something inside of her told her that the weapon right in front of her eyes was perfect for her.

As if it had been  _made_ for her.

"I like it." Diana finally said, letting her eyes unglue themselves from the sword, if only to find any information about it.

But the paragraphs were illegible, the ink being all over the place. It even stained the image a bit, though not enough to make it impossible to decipher its' contents, fortunately for Diana.

"Do you think it's some kind of Empyrean weapon?" Helena asked her, curiosity getting the best of her.

"Perhaps," Diana muttered, searching for something about this curved sword, but finding nothing about it.

The girls threw the books underneath Diana's bed as they heard a knock on the door, both hurriedly hiding any kind of incriminating material they currently possessed.

"It's just me." They heard someone say from the other side of the door, her voice making them both sigh in relief.  _Leona._

Diana moved towards the door, opening it, coming face to face with the grinning warrior. "Hey, Leo." She greeted her with a small smile.

"Hello, you." She looked over Diana's shoulder, "Hey there, Helena!" She called as Helena simply waved from her spot on Diana's bed.

"What did you need?" Diana quickly asked, eager to go back to her research.

"The Elders are looking for you," Leona responded.

Diana gulped. Could it be that they had found out about their little project? But it had just started…

"What do they need us for?" Helena asked from behind Diana as she walked towards them, her mind as worried as the raven haired girl's.

But then Leona was shaking her head. "No, not both of you. They were looking for  _you,_ specifically." Leona said as she pointed at Diana with a nod of her head.

 _Shit._ "Did they tell you what for?" Diana asked, worry clear on her face.

Leona smiled. "No, but it didn't sound like a bad thing, so I'd relax if I were in your place, Di."

Diana shared a long look with Helena. "Okay. If you say so…"

"Come," Leona said, motioning for both of them to follow her. "This way."

As they walked down the halls, something struck Helena. "Did they send  _you_ to look for Diana?"

Leona shook her head. "I overheard Mistress Sekhet asking Lycia where you two were since she couldn't find you while I trained the acolytes. I told her I thought I knew, so she asked me if I could come and look for you two. Well, for Diana, but since you're a package deal…" She chuckled, playfully nudging at Helena with her elbow.

"And she didn't tell you what she needs me for?" Diana asked, still worried.

"No, Di, sorry." Leona apologized with a small smirk on her lips and a shrug of her shoulders. "I bet it's nothing, though. She didn't seem angry or anything."

Diana silently nodded while she tried to come up with a reason why they may summon her. She relaxed when she realized that, usually, it was Elder Kieran the one who came looking for her when a whipping was due.

And then something Leona said registered inside her mind. "You're training other acolytes now?"

Leona nodded. "Elder Akins asked me if I was willing to create a Sun Guard."

Diana frowned. "A Sun Guard?"

"A little Ra-Horak battalion that is to fall under my command, basically." Leona explained. "It seems Elder Eos asked Commander Khait for a special battalion that was to follow my orders, thus turning me into a Commander myself, but Khait kind of refused the request."

"Why would he do that?"

Leona smiled. "He never told Eos, but he did tell me through a letter. He wanted me to train my soldiers, so that I could mold them into my own ideals and morals, rather than the Ra-Horak ones."

Diana's brows rose. "He gifted you the chance of creating merciful soldiers."

Leona was  _beaming._ "Exactly." She looked straight ahead as she thought of the man. "He has no idea of how grateful I am. I mean, yes," She shrugged, "There are some boundaries, unfortunately, since Eos wants the Sun Guard to be as ruthless as the Ra-Horak, but at least I can teach them to fall under their defensive instincts first, instead of primarily following their offensive ones, like they teach the warriors back in the tribe."

Diana smiled, genuinely happy for Leona. "I think he's proud of the person you've become, even if it defies what he believes in."

"And I'm proud of how he allows for some disobedience." Leona responded, subtly moving closer to Diana as she changed the subject. "What have you been up to?"

Diana shrugged. "Nothing much, just some heavy cleaning back at the library."

"A boring task?" Leona asked as her hand  _casually_ brushed against Diana's.

"It turned out to be quite interesting, actually." Diana commented, allowing for her hand to graze Leona's.

The warrior looked at the gesture, a small smirk on her lips as she dared grab Diana's hand, making the girl look at her. "Can I be honest with you?"

Diana felt how her heart began to thunder inside her chest, but she didn't let go of Leona's hand. She did check behind Leona with her eyes, though, for she just then realized that Helena wasn't there. "Sure, what is it?" She said back, panicking a bit at her friend's absence.

_Where in the Void are you, Helena?!_

But the brunette was too busy walking several steps behind them, a humongous grin on her lips as she watched the scene displayed in front of her, glad that at least Leona had forgotten about her presence, for it meant the warrior wouldn't distract herself with the brunette.

"I miss you." Leona finally whispered, "I miss spending time with you. Sparring, stargazing, whatever. I miss you."

Diana looked into Leona's eyes, finding them too close, so she looked straight ahead again, though their hands were still together, their fingers entwined. "I miss you too." Her eyes were cast on the ground, then. "I'm sorry I haven't been so much with you these days, it's just-"

"I understand," Leona cut her off gently, squeezing her hand. "There's no need for an explanation."

Diana regarded the warrior with a thankful smile.

As they arrived at the ceremony room, Diana let go of Leona's hand, though she didn't walk away from her, opting to stay by her side instead.

The warrior opened the door for her, letting the Solari go first. She had to keep herself from feeling surprised as Helena suddenly appeared, too, a sly smile on her lips as she passed through the threshold.

Once inside the ceremony room, the three of them were surprised to see not only all of the Elders, but Commander Khait himself, with his personal guard, awaiting them.

"Commander?" Leona asked, taking her place next to Diana.

The man approached the warrior. "Good to see you too, Leona." He said as he laid a hand on her shoulder. When his eyes wandered towards Helena and Diana, he bowed his head. "Ladies."

"Greetings, Commander." Diana said, confused as to why she was summoned.

"It's good to see you again, Diana." He responded, surprising the girl as she didn't expect him to remember her name.

"There you are!" Mistress Sekhet said as she approached the girls. "Where were you two?" She asked them with an accusatory tone, swiftly walking between the two girls and grabbing each by an ear, making them groan a complaint. Her voice turned into a low whisper only the three of them could hear as she added, "You only had  _one job_ and I caught you  _away from it!_ You'd better have a good excuse."

" _You'd_ better have a good excuse, woman!" Diana let out in an angry whisper, not really paying attention to what she was saying and to whom.

Sekhet released the two girls, gaping at Diana. "Did I hear a  _threat_ coming from you?"

"Shit."

Sekhet laughed a bit. "I'm going to get you in so much trouble, you won't believe it." She said as she shook her head, while Helena laughed. She didn't even turn to Helena as she added, "You too, don't think I've forgotten about you."

Diana contained a chuckle, for she didn't want to keep pushing punishments out of Sekhet. She didn't mind them, though. Sekhet was always almost  _playing_ with them, punishing them with some boring, ridiculous tasks that they were to perform together, so it was never a real punishment, but more a means of entertainment for the Mistress.

"High Acolyte Diana," Elder Eos said, making everyone turn to look at him. "How nice of you to finally join us." He said with a sickeningly sweet smile, clearly being sarcastic.

Diana approached him and kneeled. "The Sun be with you, Elder Eos." She stood up, though her head remained bowed. "My apologies, I wasn't aware of your request to see me until just now."

"It's alright, Acolyte." Eos said as his eyes went to Khait. "If I recall correctly, you've already met Commander Khait before, yes?"

Diana nodded. "I have, my Elder."

"And do you remember what happened then?" Eos asked her, again playing the same game they had played that day.

Diana followed the rules. "I was to leave for the Ra-Horak camp, but ended up being chosen as the Chosen of the Sun's mentor by the Sun's Avatar herself, while Armin took my place."

"You  _chose_ her?" Khait asked Leona in a whisper, making the girl nod. A grim look took over his features as he clicked his tongue.

Leona tried not to think much about it.

"That's right." Eos muttered with venom in his voice. "A bit more than a month has passed since his departure." He said as he circled Diana. "A bit more than a month of training with the Ra-Horak. It would seem like little time, but considering the fact that he already had some training on him, one could say it's a lot."

Diana nodded, unsure of what he tried to get at.

"As if." Leona muttered under her breath, allowing only for Khait and Helena to listen, making her former mentor snort.

"Respect your Elders, child." Khait whispered back, making Leona chuckle.

"Now, High Acolyte Diana, I'll tell you something that perhaps you didn't know." Eos continued as he still paced around the girl. "Despite not being born into the Ra-Horak, Armin is still regarded as one."

"As if." Khait whispered, earning a nudge from Leona.

"Respect your children, old man." She muttered, making him roll his eyes.

"And since he's regarded as any other Ra-Horak, he has to pass the Rite of Kor in order to earn the right to bear a relic weapon." Eos halted to a stop right in front of Diana, though he was looking away from her.

"But, since he used to be a Solari, he cannot fight against another Ra-Horak, for the tradition calls for an  _equal_  born from the same roots to fight him." He finally turned to her, a vicious smile on his lips.

Diana didn't dare breath as she saw what he was about to say, printed in his eyes.

Leona guessed it when she finally pieced Khait's uncanny reaction together with Eos' words.

"And it has been arranged the same day of his departure that he's to fight until death against  _you,_ dear."


	15. Chapter 15

Diana blinked, trying to let the words sink in. She shook her head. "My apologies, but I don't really understand."

Eos smiled at her. "What is there to understand? You must participate in Armin's Rite of Kor as his opponent." Eos's smile turned vile. "It had been arranged on the day he left. I personally asked Commander Khait about the Rite and the procedures."

Diana frowned. "But isn't the Rite between two Ra-Horak? Surely, he'd have to fight someone of his caliber, not a mere scholar."

"The Rite of Kor is a battle until death between two warriors of the same roots and with matching strength." Commander Khait interfered, explaining his traditions. "Since he used to be a Solari, he must fight another Solari."

Leona looked at Khait with disgust etched all over her features. "You're letting this happen?" She said in an accusatory tone. "You're  _allowing_ this?"

Khait had the nerve to look at her in the eye, something resembling regret shining there. "It's already been settled. Now, it's beyond my powers."

"He's a Ra-Horak and she's just a Solari!" Leona roared, making the Commander take a step back as she advanced on him. "It's  _not_ an even match!"

"Weren't you the one who said she was to stay in the Temple so she could be your  _sparring_ partner?" Khait inquired, annoyance on his features. "If she could make you break a sweat, then she can definitely represent a challenge for Armin."

"And  _how_ do you know if she's strong enough to fight me?" Leona's voice echoed all over the room. "For all you know, I may have defeated her time after time!"

Khait glared at her. "I had a little chat regarding that issue before you arrived." His eyes went to Mistress Sekhet, who's expression was contorted into one of pure sorrow. "She told me she saw you two fighting and, judging by what she's recounted, Diana is as strong as any other Ra-Horak."

Leona turned, looking at Sekhet, feeling betrayed. "What?"

"I didn't know." Sekhet said in a shaky voice, shaking her head. "I thought-"

"No one knew about this arrangement." Eos finally stated. "It had been organized between Armin, Khait and I, privately." He didn't look at Leona as he attempted to wash his hands, "Khait and I agreed that the boy was to choose his opponent, as long as they were as strong as he is, and he chose Diana, so he's to fight with her in the Rite of Kor."

"I  _demand_ his Rite, his choice, his  _everything_  to be overruled." Leona said in a growl-like voice as she stomped her way towards Eos. "As the Chosen of your Goddess, I order you to overrule it!"

Surprisingly, the man didn't fold under her threatening stance. "I'm sorry, my Chosen, but this is beyond your powers, too. It's a sacred Ra-Horak tradition that must be respected."

"I didn't respect it and look where I am now." Leona attempted to talk Diana's way out of it, growing more and more desperate by the minute.

"That only took you to the butcher's block, where the Sun saved you." Khait stated. "Armin is not refusing the Rite and it's not Diana's, so she cannot refuse, either."

"Why not?!" Leona screamed at him.

"Because she must respect the Rakkor traditions. She may not be a Ra-Horak, but just like anybody else in this room, she's a Rakkor, so she  _has to-"_

 _"_ She  _doesn't!"_

" _Yes,_ she  _does!"_ Khait roared back, walking towards Leona. "She can refuse to fight, but she'll still be thrown into that arena and Armin is still going to attempt to kill her." His expression turned apologetic then. "I'm sorry, Leona, but-"

He was cut off short as the former Ra-Horak lunged for him, catching him in a perfect stranglehold, her arms around his neck. Khait's guards approached them slowly as they unsheathed their swords.

"You have a second to release me." Khait let out between clenched teeth, as he found it hard to breathe.

"Fuck you." Leona growled directly against his ear, her emotions taking a hold of her as her eyes slowly turned aglow. "I'll show you just how badly a sunburn can hurt." She said, her body's temperature going up, her arms beginning to feel too hot-

But then, in a swift movement, Khait turned the situation around, releasing himself as he threw Leona to the ground, her face against the marble floor as he kept her in place with his body.

The Solari guards around them unsheathed their blades, but the Ra-Horak soldiers had created a perfect human barricade, not allowing them in.

"I warned you, Leona." Khait said. "I hate it when you leave me no choice-"

He was silenced by the feeling of cold steel being pressed against his neck.

"My apologies, Commander," Diana said gently, her expression calm as she held his own sword against his neck, the Ra-Horak guard suddenly surrounding her, too, but not daring to attack, for she had the upper hand, since she could easily kill their leader. "But, as a Solari, it is my duty to protect the Chosen, laying down my own life if necessary."

Khait slowly released Leona, standing up as Diana allowed him to. He held his hands up in surrender. "She's free."

Diana looked at him, not breaking eye contact as she twirled the weapon around, offering him the hilt. "I believe this is yours."

The man grabbed the sword and sheathed it, his eyes not leaving Diana's. "You're fast, kid." He shook his head. "Not only did you fool my soldiers, you also took my sword and I didn't even feel it."

Diana offered him an easy smile.

The man looked around at his guards. "Stand down, you useless maggots! She was only doing what she had to." As he said it, both Solari and Ra-Horak sheathed their swords, the tense situation being swiftly defused.

"May I speak to you privately?" Diana asked the Commander, making everyone –even Leona, who had stood up and was now watching her two mentors –look at her in confusion.

Khait nodded, nonetheless. "Sure, lead the way." He said, letting Diana walk him out of the room. Before leaving, he roared a command.  ** _"You're to stay here,"_**  he said to his warriors, as his eyes fell on Leona, who seemed intent on following them.  ** _"It includes you."_**

 ** _"_** ** _I don't follow your orders anymore."_**  She said, an angry glare on her eyes.

 ** _"_** ** _But you will follow mine,"_**  Diana chimed in, a pointed look directed towards Leona, ** _"Stay."_**  She added, making the warrior stay put, earning a curious look from Khait.

The Commander and the Acolyte walked away. The man remained silent, allowing Diana to take her time.

She finally broke the silence. "Is it true? There's no way out of this?" She asked him, not needing to add anything else.

The man nodded. "It's all true. I'm sorry."

She frowned, still moving forward. "How does the Rite go? I learnt about what it is, but not how it's done."

"The warriors must fight with a weapon of their choice until one of them is defeated." Khait looked at her. "Simple enough, if you ask me."

Diana thought about something. "Any weapon we choose?"

"That's right." He raised an eyebrow. "Do you have something in mind?"

Diana nodded. "This way." She said as she walked ahead, directing them to her dorm.

As they reached her door, she walked inside, the man waiting at the door, looking away from her bedroom, as he respected it as her personal space to which he had not been invited.

Certain of the fact that he wasn't looking, Diana retrieved Helena's book from its' hiding spot tore off the page with the curved sword's image.

She went back to Khait, closing the door behind her. "Here," she said, handing him the page. "I want to wield this."

The man grabbed the page and inspected its' contents. A frown placed itself on his face. "I've never seen anything like this before." He glanced at Diana, curiously. "Where did you get this?"

"It's none of your concern." Diana honestly responded.

The commander nodded immediately. "Fair enough for me." He said as his eyes qent back to the image.

"Well?" Diana asked. "May I use that?"

"You can have this forged for the Rite, but you won't be able to train with it." He looked at her again. "The Rite is to be held in three days, you'll be going to the Ra-Horak camp in two."

Diana closed her eyes as she conjured a curse in her mind. "But can I wield it?"

The man's expression was a mixture between confusion and concern. "It is not wise to battle with a weapon you haven't manipulated before and, by the looks of it, I'd say you haven't used this before. Are you sure you want to choose this?"

Diana silently nodded, determination over her features.

The man sighed. "Very well. Since we're short on days, I'll forge your weapon myself."

Diana felt his words as a compliment. "Thank you."

Khait shrugged. "It's the least I can do for you. Shall we head back?"

Diana nodded, beginning their stroll back to the room. "Do I have to kill him?" When Khait looked at her, she added, "I know he has to try to kill me, but do I have to do the same?"

Khait frowned as he thought about it. "It's complicated... this is the first time we'll have a Rite of Kor like this one. Armin will be the first Ra-Horak to fight an outsider and I think there's no rule dictating what to do in these cases..." Khait finally shrugged, then. "I'll tell you what; you don't have to kill him as long as you defeat him." When he saw Diana looking at him with an eyebrow raised, he explained, "Fight with him until he can fight you no longer. Incapacitate him, knock him out, whatever, as long as he's not standing by the end, it's more than enough."

They were almost at the doors when Diana grabbed Khait's hand, making him halt. "One more thing."

He turned and looked at her, the question in his eyes.

"It'd be in both our best interests if we keep at least part of this conversation secret." Diana said, her piercing gaze making it clear that she didn't want him telling anyone about her weapon of choice.

He nodded. "Sounds fair."

They entered the room and walked towards Elder Eos, everyone looking at them.

Diana halted in front of him. "I will fight in the Rite of Kor." She said, her voice loud in the room. "It's all settled."

She heard everyone begin to whisper around her, gasping at her attitude. "Silence!" Eos bellowed, standing from his seat and approaching the girl. "You never had a said in this, Diana."

"No, you're right." She said as a slow smile appeared on her face. "I'm just letting you know that I'll fight back."

Eos glared at her for her insolence. "You leave in two days."

"I already know that, my Elder." Diana responded.

His glare deepened. "Then you're all dismissed." He growled on her face, letting everyone clear the room.

As they left, Leona and Helena falling into step next to her, Khait approached her. "Until next time, High Acolyte." He said to Diana, his head falling in a shameful bow upon meeting Leona's glaring eyes. After that, he was gone, his Ra-Horak soldiers with him.

Leona didn't even know where to start. "Diana-"

"I would like some time alone." Diana immediately cut her off, her eyes lost somewhere in the horizon. "I think we all need some time alone."

Leona was shaking her head, "I-"

" _Diana!"_ The three of them turned to look at Mistress Sekhet, who was basically running towards them.

"My Mistress," Diana said as she bowed, as if nothing of what had just occurred had taken place.

"Diana, I'm so sorry, I had no idea." Sekhet apologized to the girl, desperation on her eyes. "If I had known…" She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Mistress," Helena interfered, making everyone look at her. "There's something I don't get." When she realized everyone was paying attention to her every word, she went on, "If Armin has to fight someone  _born_ into the Solari, then he cannot fight Diana; she wasn't born a Solari."

Leona's eyes filled with something resembling hope as she eagerly looked at Sekhet. "Is this true?" Her eyes went back to Diana. "Is it true?"

"Armin wasn't born into the Solari either, Helena." Sekhet swiftly explained. "I would have suggested that he couldn't fight Diana because of her roots, but they are the same as Armin's. It only makes it worse, narrowing it down until she's the only choice available for the Rite."

Helena frowned. "He isn't a Solari since birth?"

Sekhet shook her head. "He's Eos' grandson, but his father wasn't a Solari; he deserted. Eos adopted him as his protégé a long time ago when Armin's father died due to a terrible disease." Her eyes fell on Diana. "I adopted Diana as my own apprentice when her former guardian brought her here as a child."

Diana smiled as she remembered him. "Marcus."

Sekhet nodded. "I think we should tell him about the Rite." She said, making Diana's smile slowly disappear.

"So both Armin and Diana share the same origin?" Helena said, trying to find a way to save Diana from the Rite, but failing.

"Unfortunately, yes." Sekhet said, her head hanging in sorrow.

"If you excuse me," Diana finally said, making everyone look at her. "I need some time alone." With that, she turned and left, strolling down the hall.

Leona attempted to follow her, but a hand on her arm stopped her from doing it, making her turn instead to see it had been Helena. "You should give her some space." She finally said, looking as sad as Sekhet, but being strong enough to pretend otherwise.

Leona could only stare at Diana as she left, every fiber in her body begging her to follow.

_But she ordered you to stay._

So she did.

* * *

Diana walked down the halls, an expressionless look on her face.

She wasn't certain where her feet were taking her. All she knew was that she needed time  _alone._

She realized she knew where she was headed to when suddenly she was going through the gates, her legs burning as she climbed the steep path towards her cliff.

As she reached the top, she took a seat and stared off into the horizon, letting her mind catch up with everything that had just taken place.

_I may die in a couple of days._

A shaky breath escaped her. She closed her eyes.

_I'm dying in a few days._

After having held it in for her whole meeting with the Elders, Diana allowed herself to cry.

Her whole body shook with the intensity of each sob as the girl whimpered, letting tears go down her cheeks without brushing them off, letting herself feel all the fear she had kept in during her face off with Eos. She wouldn't let him see her fear, but that didn't mean she didn't feel it.

So she cried, expressing what she had felt, realizing she had never been so  _scared,_ the feeling being as strong as when she had realized what it was that she felt for Leona.

Perhaps being even stronger, for defeat meant death and dying meant never seeing Leona again.

The Sun moved through the sky and the girl kept weeping, slowly calming down as the day turned to dusk. She finished crying then, finally being able to stop, realizing how badly her head hurt and how tired she was.

She became aware of footsteps approaching and she turned to see who it was.

Leona came to view as she slowly made her way towards the weeping girl. "Hey," She said softly, as if testing the grounds. "May I sit with you?"

Diana nodded, quickly turning again and brushing off any remaining tears. "I wasn't expecting you to come here." She confessed honestly, trying to keep her voice in check.

"I figured you'd be here and I wanted to check on you." Leona responded as she sat down next to her. "I can leave if you want me to."

"No, it's okay." Diana said as she shook her head. "I'm feeling better now." She added as she looked at Leona, offering her a smile.

But the smile was slowly wiped off her face as she saw the warrior's sorrowful expression.

"Leo…?" She tried, but trailed off when the girl trapped her in a tight embrace, her head pressed against the spot where her neck and her shoulder met. Diana didn't know what to say, let alone what to do, when she felt Leona's body tremble.

_She's crying._

Her arms instinctively went around the girl's midsection, her hands rubbing soothing circles on her back. "Leo, it's okay." She cooed as she placed her lips as close to the girl's ear as possible. She felt the warrior shake her head.

"It's not." Leona let out in a strained voice, still hiding her face. "It's not, because I failed you."

"Failed me?" Diana echoed, a small, confused chuckle passing past her lips. "What are you talking about, Leo?"

Leona pulled away, looking at the girl in the eye. "I failed to protect you, I just got you into more danger." She explained through a sob, tears still running down her face. She closed her eyes. "The Sun chose me because I'd rather protect people than harm them and I just  _failed._ " She shook her head. "I'm a terrible Chosen of the Sun."

Diana sighed, a sad smile on her lips. "Leo." She called her gently, her hand coming to Leona's face, tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. Leona finally looked at her, "You had nothing to do with this."

"I had  _everything_ to do with this!" Leona said in a desperate voice, but Diana was shaking her head.

"No, really." She said, still smiling. "It was something that would eventually happen." Her hand found its' rightful place on the girl's cheek. "If it weren't for you, I would have been turned into a Ra-Horak and the Rite would be  _mine._  The only thing you did was delay my participation in one of those  _and_ allow me to stay in the Temple with Helena," Her thumb slowly rubbed the warrior's cheekbone, "With you."

Leona rested her head on Diana's hand. "You think so?"

"I know so." Diana responded confidently. "Besides," She raised an eyebrow, "Eos hates my guts. He would have found another way to try and kill me." She finished with a shrug. "He won't understand that a bad penny always turns up."

Leona chuckled. "Only the good die young, right?"

"And that's why you should watch your back!" Diana commented as her hand moved towards Leona's neck, tickling the warrior and making her laugh harder.

"Enough!" Leona let out between fits of laughter as she caught Diana's hand, the sadness she felt vanished as she saw the other girl laugh, too.

Neither of them let go of the other as a comfortable kind of silence stretched between them, both too busy simply being with the other to say something.

Leona was slowly becoming too self-aware, too conscious about how badly she was staring at Diana; how close the other was, how attractive she found her…

So she blushed a bit, hiding it by staring off into the horizon, realizing there was no more sunlight. "It's nighttime already."

Diana's eyes followed Leona's, then went higher in the sky, locating the Moon.  _First Quarter._

"Perhaps we should go back." Leona said, trying to get up but failing, since Diana's hand gripped hers with strength, forcing her to look at the Solari.

"Stay," She said, her voice soft, sounding like a plea, rather than a command, like it had done some hours ago. "Watch the night with me."

Leona doubted, unsure of what to do. "I'd love to, Di, but what if the Elders-"

"I find myself not quite caring about them anymore." Diana cut her off, not wishing to listen to Leona warn her about how wrong it was for a Solari to be outside of the Temple at night.

Leona stared at her for a second, surprised at the rebellious attitude. She sat back down with a smirk on her lips. "How bold of us, to disobey like this!" She teased Diana with a playful tone.

The girl laughed a bit, but said nothing else, not wishing to confess that said boldness had been born of her fear for her destiny, for she didn't believe she'd make it out of the Rite alive.

So she opted for laying down on the grass instead, watching as Leona did the same, their eyes on the starred sky.

"How many constellations can you see from here?" Leona wondered out loud, making a smile grow on Diana's face.

"Well, the sky's clear of clouds today," Diana noticed, "So I can point most of them out for you."

Leona's head turned at breakneck speed as she looked at Diana. "Can you?" She asked, wonder on her voice.

So Diana's smile grew as she scooted closer to the warrior and began pointing at the sky.

* * *

She woke up to the feeling of warm sunlight on her face trying not to tense up when she felt, before even opening her eyes, the weight of someone else atop her.

_What, where, who-_

She then recalled the events of the night before.

So Leona opened her eyes and inspected her surroundings to find out that, indeed, she had fallen asleep on the cliff.

Well,  _both_ of them fell asleep on the cliff, as Diana was laying against her chest, her arm over Leona's abdomen, legs tangled with the warrior's, her eyes closed and her breathing slow.

She couldn't keep her eyes away from Diana's calm expression, wondering how in the Void she managed to be lucky enough to end in that position with her.

Her arm slowly moved, careful enough so as not to disturb the sleeping girl, as her fingers reached the Solari's mane, running through the strands gently.

Leona pressed her lips against Diana's forehead, closing her eyes and relishing in the moment.

_She's beautiful._

She didn't care about the heat of the Sun on her face nor the numbness of the arm trapped underneath Diana; she'd stay there all day long if the other girl wished so.

But when minutes passed, the sleeping girl moved, trying to get up as she slowly came back to consciousness.

Diana untangled arms from Leona's body so as to use them as support as she sat up, rubbing the sleep off her eyes and trying to situate herself.

She became paralyzed when she saw Leona staring at her curiously from  _underneath_ her own self.

A blush immediately crept up her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I-"

She quieted down as Leona quickly sat up too and, in a quick movement, embraced her and brought her down to the ground with her.

"Good morning." She said somewhat animatedly at the other girl, trapping her in a hug, not allowing her any chance at escaping.

Diana laughed at her antics, though she was still nervous about being basically  _glued_ to the warrior. "Good morning."

The Solari swore her face must have never been that red, as she felt Leona press her lips against her temple.

"We fell asleep." Leona stated, as if any of them needed someone to voice the obvious information.

"We should go back." Diana responded, slowly escaping Leona's trap until she was back in a sitting position, the warrior propping herself up on her elbows.

"Whatever happened to the bold Diana from last night?" She playfully asked the girl as she allowed one of her hands to go to Diana's cheek, rubbing her cheekbone with her thumb, like the girl had done the night before to her.

Diana smirked. "The Diana from last night could only think about the certain doom that looms in her near future."

Leona's expression fell a bit. "And the Diana currently in front of me?"

"She hopes to avoid any kind of whipping before her Rite of Kor if it's possible, please and thank you."

Leona sighed, letting Diana get up as she did the same. "Lead the way, dear."

But then Diana, still blushing as she was, though Leona blamed the hot breeze for that, grabbed Leona's hand. "I'd rather we walked side by side."

Leona entwined their fingers. "I like the sound of that."

* * *

Diana felt as if those two days until she had to leave passed as quickly as lightning.

When she had arrived back at the temple, Leona not letting go of her hand, she had asked Mistress Sekhet if she could be dismissed of her duties for the rest of her days, subtly implying that she didn't believe she'd make it out alive.

The woman didn't think twice as she agreed, but told Diana off for taking herself for dead so quickly.

So Diana spent her last days bouncing between Helena and Leona, investigating what she could with the brunette and savoring each minute with the warrior, refusing to spar every time the warrior offered it, for she knew the girl was trying to train her and she'd have none of it.

She had saddened when she realized her Empyrean investigation wasn't telling her anything  _new,_ the research having been slowed down due to both Helena's grief and hers.

Rather than investigating, the girls had spent those moments remembering their past together, occasionally stopping to let out a tear or two.

So it made her twice as grateful for the lack of tears during her time with Leona, who seemed to be more intent on making her laugh than making her cry.

But that was all in the past, as she was currently sitting on the carriage that would finally take her to the Ra-Horak camp. Helena and Leona were there with her, as the Chosen had persuaded the Elders of allowing the two of them to go, too.

So the three of them remained in silence; Helena biting her nails, Leona staring at Diana, Diana resting her eyes, somewhat uncaring for what was next.

But she almost broke down in tears when they arrived at the camp and saw Sekhet standing alongside Marcus, her former guardian.

She got out of the carriage in a second and ran towards the man, almost tackling him to the ground.

"Diana," he breathed out, wonder and sorrow mixed in his voice as he couldn't believe the beautiful woman his little Diana had grown into, without ever forgetting the reason why he was there. "My Diana."

Diana hugged him tightly. "Hi, Father." She let out in a whisper, almost crushing the man's bones with the strength of her embrace.

She pulled away, noticing tears on his eyes. "I'm so glad to see you, although it pains me each time I remember the circumstances."

Diana chuckled. "I couldn't be happier anyway."

The man pulled her in again then, returning the bone crushing hug. "Look at you," he released her so that he could get a better look at her. "You've grown  _stunning."_

 _"_ And you're as young as ever," Diana said, noticing the grey hairs all over his head and the short beard.

"I was already old when I found you, dear." He said with a raised eyebrow. "Do not mock me."

The Solari laughed, giving Marcus time to see her companions, who approached them timidly. His eyes first set on Helena.

"I think I know who you are," He said, a knowing smile on his lips.

The girl was about to bow her head when Marcus picked her up in yet another embrace.

"You're Helena!" He said animatedly as he twirled her, then placed her back on the ground with a smile on his lips. "I'll be eternally grateful to the Sun for having allowed Diana to have such a loyal friend." He confessed, pride in his eyes.

"Well, you can thank her  _almost_ personally, then." Helena joked as she pointed at Leona, making Marcus follow with his gaze.

"You're..." He began, but trailed off, unsure of his own words.

Leona bowed deeply. "It is my honor to meet you." When she raised her head again, she presented herself, "My name's Leona, but people tend to recognize me as the Chosen of the Sun."

Marcus immediately bowed, almost kneeling, "Radiant Dawn!"

But Leona was having none of it as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "You may stand. No formalities are needed."

Marcus raised his head, his eyes filled with awe as he stood, his eyes going from Leona to Diana, a question in his eyes.

His  _daughter_ shrugged. "I made another friend along the way and I  _may_  have forgotten to tell you."

Marcus laughed, shaking his head. "You're still the same Diana."

But their laughter died out as another carriage arrived, Elder Eos stepping out of it first, the old man immediately going to the gates of the camp, demanding entrance.

When the gates opened and the soldiers came out, everyone was ushered inside, where they met with Commander Khait.

The man bowed in greeting. "Morning Blessings to you all." He said in a strong voice as everyone greeted him back.

Everyone, but Leona.

He didn't comment on it, even though he noticed his former protégée still being pissed at him.

He guided them throughout the camp towards the arena where the Rite was to take place.

"Welcome to the Arena of Kor," he said as he motioned towards the colosseum-like stadium, a big pit in its' center, where Diana could only picture herself, all bloody and broken.

She snapped out of her trance as a somewhat familiar voice called her from her left. "But if it's the Lunari," The voice growled.

She turned to see Armin, looking far more muscular than before, wearing a Ra-Horak armor like the one Leona was wearing the day they had met.

"But if it's the imbecile!" Diana taunted back, a bored look on her face.

Armin got close enough they shared breaths. "I can't wait for tomorrow," he whispered, his eyes looking crazy with bloodlust.

Diana only huffed a laugh, effectively dismissing the boy, who turned and left before anyone could say anything.

"You already told me you don't have to kill him," Helena said, making everyone look at her as she moved to Diana's side. "But please do."

Diana let out a dark chuckle. "We'll see," She said, as if saying she was analyzing what to choose between killing him or sparing his life.

She didn't dare say the truth; that she was analyzing how much chance of survival she actually had.

And, after seeing him just now, she thought her chances were too slim.

The tour around the Ra-Horak facilities wasn't too long as night fell upon them and forced them to call it a day.

Diana was already in her room, having already wished a good night's sleep to Helena, Sekhet, Marcus and Leona, the latter confessing she was so nervous she doubted she'd get much sleep.

Diana didn't have trouble confirming she felt the same.

She tried to close her eyes and dominate her restlessness, but the fear for the morning to come kept her awake.

It wasn't until midnight, when the Full Moon was highest in the sky, that she could relax into her bed, that uncanny presence lulling her to sleep.

**_A big day awaits you._ **

"You're right," she mumbled, already half asleep, unsure of whether she had imagined, dreamed, that voice or not.

_A big day awaits me._

* * *

She woke up minutes before twilight, her body too aware of the events to come, too wired-up to let her sleep any more.

She waited until she heard a knock on the door. "Come in."

Leona opened the door, peeking inside. "It's time."

So, silently, Diana stood.

As they walked towards the arena, Leona tested the grounds. "How are you feeling?"

 _Afraid. Dead._ "Ready."

"That's good." Leona responded, worried about her friend.

"Where's Helena?"

"Everyone's already at the arena." Leona responded. "Do you know how it goes from here?"

Diana frowned. "Not really."

"Armin and you will have to announce your presence at the Arena. After that, each participant has only a few more minutes with their mentors before they have to begin the Rite."

Diana felt her heart grow heavy, stress taking over. "I've got no mentor."

"Don't worry about it." Was all Leona responded, indicating she had a plan.

They reached the arena, Leona guiding Diana towards the balcony. When they reached it, they saw a man go out into the center of the Arena. He carried an adorned mace with him, the weapon so big he had to carry it with both hands.

"Today brother may join our ranks or leave them for good," The warrior shouted, everyone listening to his loud, booming voice. "Today, Armin fights his past and overcomes it or lays his life in the attempt!"

Every Ra-Horak in the crowded arena cheered, roars and battlecries sounding all around them.

"If he succeeds, Reylor's Mace is his!" The announcer roared, raising the relic weapon, earning more cheering from the crowd.

"Contenders! Show yourselves!" Was his last scream.

And Diana saw Armin reveal himself on the balcony opposite to hers, his full Ra-Horak armor already on, a helmet shaped like an eagle under his arm.

"I'm Armin and I'll honor you with her blood!" He shouted, pointing at Diana, bloodlust all over his face. The warriors cheered.

Leona was behind her, then, her hands on her shoulders. "Just say your name and taunt him back. Easy."

So Diana nodded and moved forward.

"I'm Diana and I'll show you a real warrior!" She said, her voice carrying her strength.

She was pleasantly surprised to hear loud roars all around her, as if they stood on her side.

Armin looked furious.

"And who trained these warriors?" Came a rhetorical question from the announcer.

A big, threatening looking man stood next to Armin. "I'm Tyrell and I've trained the warrior at my side!"

Diana's expression was turning desperate, but then she saw Leona stand at her side. "I'm Leona and the warrior at my side could teach you a thing or two!" She bellowed, her voice resounding like a war cry as she taunted Tyrell and everyone  _ooh'd_ in surprise at her sharp tongue.

The announcer just laughed. "We've got spunk tonight. Contenders! Get ready!"

And after those words, Diana didn't have time to react as both Leona and her were ushered to another room.

The warrior seemed more than ready, though, as if she had planned to pose as her trainer all along, for she immediately moved through the tiny armory, directly to a mannequin that stood there, idly, a golden armor on its' lifeless body.

Diana's eyes grew in size as she realized it was the Chosen of the Sun's armor.

Leona took it off the mannequin and moved towards Diana. "Here, let me help you put this on," She said, as she began to strap the golden armor on her body. "I managed to modify it so that it would fit you like a glove," Then, she blushed, adding, "I may or may not have stolen a robe or two with Helena's help so as to be able to take some measures."

Diana couldn't react, feeling paralyzed as Leona continued fitting the armor to her body, her blushed face contorted in a concentrated frown.

"There," She said, only the headpiece missing, as she finished with Diana. "Now I'll be with you in the Arena, the Sun's grace on your side." She smiled, as she placed the headpiece on Diana.

"Leona-"

"Would you wield the Zenith Blade and the Shield of Daybreak?" She asked, cutting Diana off.

"No." She refused, successfully stopping Leona's rambling.

"What? Why?"

"Khait forged a weapon for me." Diana said, making the warrior stare at her in surprise.

"Really?" A nod from Diana. "Why?"

"I asked for a weapon that didn't exist. He said he'd give it to me right before entering the arena."

Leona remained quiet, gratitude for her former master warming her heart."What did you ask for?"

Diana smirked. "Surprise." She said, then grew quiet for a moment, as she thought of something. "Leo."

"Yes?"

Leona tried not to focus on how Diana's expression turned very serious seemingly out of nowhere. "Before I walk in there, there's something I must tell you. Something I've been wishing to tell you, yet fearing it at the same time." She confessed honestly, admitting the internal battle she had fought during those three days.

Leona stood up. "What is it?"

" _Contenders! Come out to play!"_ They heard the announcer call.

Diana stood up, every nerve in her body electrified. She chuckled after a second. "I don't know how to say it. I can only show you." She said, a blush dusting her cheeks.

"Show me." Leona said as she grew impatient.

So Diana stepped forward until there was no room between them.

She cupped Leona's face with both of her hands and stood on her toes.

And then Leona's mind couldn't process it when she felt Diana's lips press gently against her own.

She wasn't aware of how long it was until Diana pulled away, chuckling as she said, "I guess time's up now." Before she turned and left towards the Arena.

When Diana was out of sight, Leona reacted, running towards the gate.

But it was already closed, Diana on the other side.

* * *

"Hey, kid." Khait greeted her at the Arena's side.

"Commander," Diana said with a bow.

"This is yours," He said, offering her a beautifully crafted, curved blade, so much like the one from her book. "I took a few design liberties."

Diana took it, looking at it with wonder in her eyes. "It's perfect." She twirled it a bit, earning a curious look from Khait, who found her uncannily agile with the weapon, considering it was the first time she wielded it.

"May the Sun be by your side," His eyes roamed all over her, "though I believe it already is."

Diana chuckled, not needing to answer.

So when he bowed deeply one more time, she stepped into the arena.

Hoping to live.

Expecting to die.


	16. Chapter 16

Leona's hands clawed at the metallic gate, a desperate attempt to make someone listen, to make someone  _help._

"Open this up immediately!" She screamed, her voice sounding like the roar of a lion. Her claws turned to fists as she banged on the metal, her strength unmatched, but still not enough. "Open this up  _right now!"_

The guards who had closed the door behind Diana didn't stop her, but didn't obey her, either. "I'm sorry, Radiant Dawn," Said one of them, respectfully distancing himself from her with the mentioning of her title. "But we can't. It's against the rules."

"You already know how this goes, Leona." The other chimed in, calling her by her name, the camaraderie that was so typical of the Ra-Horak shining through. "You'll have to wait."

"This cannot  _wait!"_ Her voice was thunder, so strong the guards swore lightning cracked inside her eyes. "Open the gate  _right now!"_ She demanded, anger at them for stopping her coating her features.

But she had no authority there and everyone knew.

So they stood straight, their spears to their side, their shield on the other.

And Leona, desperate to reach Diana, ran back to the balcony, hoping to plan something out, Diana's last words to her the only thing in her mind.

_Time's not up._

_It can't be._

Diana could feel her heart beating furiously against her ribcage, her breathing erratic as she saw Armin, fully armored, a big, deadly looking mace in one hand and an enormous shield on the other, slowly walking towards her.

_No, not walking. Swaggering._

He moved as if he owned the place, though Diana could identify a cautiousness on his gait; the man seemed to had learnt not to underestimate her from their previous encounters.

He was sizing her up, a smile creeping up his face, a curious look as he saw her blade. "Today's the big day, Diana. How do you feel?" He questioned.

Diana focused on her breathing, on her heartbeat, on the weight of her blade and how she would manipulate it. "Something around average. And you?"

He had a shit eating grin, though it faltered as he noticed the armor she was wearing, anger taking over. "Never been better." He growled as he lunged for her in a battle cry.

Diana was waiting, ready.

_Here we go._

* * *

Leona felt her heart stopping.

She reached the balcony just in time to see Armin leaping forward, against Diana.

She didn't breathe again until she saw Diana roll to her left, placing her left forearm on the ground and successfully ending on a standing position once more, twirling her uncanny blade on her right.

Leona didn't think as she watched, didn't move as her eyes sticked to Diana, didn't blink as she saw the girl's focused expression, her pupils dilated and fixed on Armin's figure, who fought to lift his maze again.

She didn't sense the people behind her, calling her until one of them grabbed her by the arm, turning her around.

"Leona!" Helena's voice boomed as she hugged the warrior, the fear she felt emanating from her body.

"We need to stop the Rite!" Leona commanded, her eyes intense on Helena as she saw out of her peripheral vision other people approaching.

" _Radiant Dawn!"_ Elder Eos shouted as he stampeded towards Leona, a  _furious_ look on his face. "What's the meaning of  _that?!"_ He asked her, pointing at Diana's figure.

_The armor._

"As her Chosen, it is my duty to protect her." She said instinctively, frowning at the man. "That's my way of protecting her."

"It is a blasphemy!"

"That  _I_ committed." She glared at him.

He looked at her then, shaking his head as if clearing it, realizing who he was speaking to. He saw Diana once more and the fury was back on his face. "And that weapon? Where did she take that from?!"

Leona looked at Diana as she slowly circled Armin, who taunted her by swinging his mace, but the girl didn't care, as she carefully took step after step, looking like a predator lurking its' prey, her body low in a crouch, her arms at the ready, her right one holding her blade in line with her shoulders, ready to strike.

_What a weird, open stance._

_Why are you exposing yourself so much, Diana?_

"I don't know." Leona finally responded, her eyes glued to Diana's figure as a question popped into her mind, making her frown at Eos. "Why do you care?"

Eos didn't think as he said, "She shouldn't know about it!"

So Leona's frown deepened when she inquired, "Why shouldn't she?"

Eos finally snapped out of her furious trance then, as he looked at Leona, a blush dusting his cheeks, for he felt embarrassed due to his slip. Without another word, he left, the Elders followed him, leaving Helena, Marcus and Sekhet standing there with Leona, everyone rushing to the balcony's edge to get a look at Diana.

"Thank you for protecting her," Helena breathed out, worrying when she noticed Leona's stressed expression. "She'll be okay," She tried comforting her, placing a tentative hand on her back. "Have faith."

Leona finally acknowledged Helena's words. "I'm her shield, I'll always be," She said, echoing something she remembered Diana had told her once, her eyes on the girl. "She has to make it out." She looked  _desperate_ as she gripped the handrail, her knuckles turning white. "She has to."

Helena stared at Leona for a hard minute, a sudden thought crossing her mind, the concept so strong, so crazy yet plausible that she couldn't ignore it.

So she gripped her by the collar of her robe and forced her to be face to face with her. "What's up with you?" She whispered, thankful for how Sekhet and Marcus were too busy looking at Diana.

Leona was growing uneasy. "Nothing's wrong with me."

So Helena gambled and tried her luck, knowing she'd be dead if she was wrong, but certain that she had seen the right signs coming from the warrior. "I already know about Diana."

And then, as if she had just uttered some secret code, Leona's face turned serious as she dragged Helena away from Marcus and Sekhet, getting her mouth near her ear, whispering, "And you didn't think to tell me?!"

Helena's eyes widened. "She told you?!"

Leona turned red. "She  _kissed_ me!"

The short haired girl gasped. "She did what-"

Leona's hand flew towards Helena's mouth, immediately silencing the girl, who had accidentally raised her voice. "Can you keep it low?!" She whispered, panic hiding in her eyes. She released Helena slowly, "How long have you known?"

"Weeks."

"You've known for w-"

"Shhh!" Helena silenced her in the same fashion as Leona had done with her before. "Do you want her to be executed? Keep it quiet!"

The warrior pulled Helena's hand away. "Why didn't you tell me before?!" She whispered angrily.

"Because I'm not outing my friend like that!"

Leona's face had never been redder. "But didn't you think it was good to tell me, the obviously attracted one, that the feeling was reciprocal?"

Helena frowned. "Wait, what?"

Leona's expression was lifeless. "You didn't notice...?" Upon seeing Helena's dumbfounded look, she glared, "How could you be so blind?! I couldn't keep my hands off of her!"

"Nor anybody else!" Helena spat back, excusing her ignorance. "How do you expect me to see it when you behave like that with everyone?!"

Leona groaned, her palm hitting her forehead. "I can't believe this." She spied Helena from between her fingers. "And here I was, thinking Diana was the dumb one between you two."

Helena slapped her arm. "Don't you dare insult me by insulting my friend!" Her angry expression suddenly turned worried as she remembered the situation Diana was currently in, making her way towards the handrail, being closely followed by Leona.

They saw her barely dodge Armin's mace as it came down, trying to smash her skull.

The warrior let out a shaky breath, a sigh of relief. Helena, though, did something else entirely.

" _KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH, DIANA!"_ Her shout could be heard all over the Arena.

Leona stared in awe as she saw Diana look at Helena, for she  _heard_ that.

" _CUT HIS LEGS SO HE CAN'T RUN AWAY LIKE THE COWARD HE IS!"_ Helena instructed, making the mimic for Diana, pretending to chop Leona's legs.

But as everyone cheered for the loud Solari and Armin roared in anger, Diana remained focused, her eyes moving to Helena's left.

Searching for Leona.

The warrior made eye contact and felt frozen in place. She swore she saw Diana offer her a small smile.

Just as she spotted Armin creeping up her back, ready to strike.

Panic coated her features. " _Behind you!"_ Leona roared, making Diana turn to see Armin swinging his mace.

She tried to dodge, but the spikes on his weapon caught her left arm, barely so.

Diana rolled away, a sharp sting on her arm. The armor Leona had donned on her had protected most of her arm from the blow, but one of those sharp spikes had still found its' mark, flaying a bit of skin from her limb.

Leona remained in silence as she scanned Diana's body, seeing blood pouring out of her arm.

She gripped the handrail so strongly her knuckles turned white.

Helena's eyes went to Leona's hands as she felt the handrail  _melting,_ molten iron slipping through her fingers.

"Keep it under control," Helena said to her, worry for the warrior taking over. "It's just a flesh wound."

Diana bit on her lip to keep from crying out. Armin smiled.

"Are you going to whine?" He taunted, swinging the mace.

Diana glared at him, a smirk forming on her lips. "I'm just giving you a head-start before I cut your legs."

" _YOU HEARD HER, BITCH! ONLY WAY OUT FOR YOU IS IN PIECES!"_ Helena called from her balcony upon hearing their taunting, making every Ra-Horak laugh at her reaction.

" _SHUT UP! AFTER I'M DONE WITH HER, YOU'RE NEXT!"_ Armin threatened Helena, his eyes going to her.

Helena smirked as she saw Diana move forward, taking the moment of distraction. "I'd like to see you try." She simply said, waiting for Diana to strike.

Leona didn't look at anybody else, her eyes on the raven-haired girl as she ran towards her opponent, her body inclined forward.

The warrior frowned as she saw the Solari clenching her teeth, as if struggling with her own weight, not quite understanding Diana's fighting method.

_What I've taught you... you're struggling with it._

_Why?_

Diana attempted a strike, making a slashing movement, aiming for Armin's neck, but the man ducked out of range and charged at Diana, hitting her on the stomach with his shoulder.

Diana jumped away from him, trying to regain her breath, but then he was attempting to hit her with his mace, making her dodge time after time.

But he was getting faster and she was getting slower, each strike missing her by less and less.

So Armin picked up his pace and finally hit her, this time on the side.

Diana let out a scream as she fell to the ground.

Armin laughed.

Leona growled.

"Say goodbye." He said to her as he brought the mace over his head.

But suddenly the sunlight became too blinding, the light burning his eyes.

Diana noticed his distraction as he tried to cover his eyes, letting out a roar of pain and rolled away as he sloppily swung his mace downwards.

Leona's breath hitched as she noticed what she'd managed to do.

"Keep it together," Helena whispered, as she also noticed it. "If they find out you've just helped her-"

"It was accidental," Leona responded. "I'm not even sure how I did it."

Helena frowned, managing to see the pattern. "Keep your emotions in check."

So Leona did her best to keep her cool, but found it hard to do when she saw Diana looking at her, a slightly apologetic look on her face as she managed to unstrap parts of the Chosen's armor from her body.

"What is she doing?" Helena questioned, worrying about her friend's decision.

"You really want to die, don't you?" Armin questioned after staring at Diana, watching her take the armor off until nothing but the rare, red linen under armor was covering her body.

The breastplate fell to the ground with a loud thud. Diana moved around a little, feeling out her limbs again. She smiled, "You could say I'm a bit of a gambler."

_Protection for speed. Bring it on._

She smirked at him, arrogance taking over as she brought her free hand up and curled her fingers inwards, motioning for him to come.

So he raged and, like a bull, charged.

Diana waited until the mace was above her to dash to a side, using the momentum to twirl on her foot and sweep the floor with her other one, bringing him to the ground.

She skipped away from him, getting ready for the real battle to begin.

"Try to catch me now,  _imbecile."_ She taunted as he got up again.

Armin growled. "I'll teach you some respect!" He ran towards her, mace ready.

But Diana evaded him easily again, a smirk on her lips. "Come on! Shouldn't it be easier without any armor on?"

The soldier grew furious and kept swinging, every time Diana dodging with expertise and ease, allowing herself to display her agility by evading the attacks with just enough time.

Everyone in the Arena began cheering, shouting in synchrony with her movements, booing Armin's lame performance.

Leona stared in awe, finally understanding.

"The armor was slowing her down." She thought out loud, making Helena hum in agreement.

"She's always needed to move around quickly." There was a tone of excitement in her voice. "That's always been what made her stand out; her speed and quickness."

Leona's expression fell a bit, despite feeling happier at the sight of a much more comfortable Diana.

_I was slowing her down._

Diana rolled away from a failed attack, landing on a crouch and getting up, twirling her blade. She laughed at Armin. "What's the matter?" She asked, then let her voice drop lower so as to be heard only by him as she added, "Is the power of the Moon too much for you?"

He glared at her, "How dare you say a blasphemy like that!" He roared, trying to catch her by surprise by lunging for her abruptly.

But her reflexes were out of this world, as she saw it coming and dodged to her right, letting him stampede away like a bull. "Let's make this even more fun, shall we?" She asked, slowly placing her curved blade behind her body, inclining her torso forward so as to be prepared, a fight or flight decision in front of her.

Her fingers gripped her sword tighter.

_Time to try you out._

She ran towards him, her body instinctively disobeying every lesson Leona had taught her, as her body was at the front line and her blade moved along behind her.

Armin got prepared for her, his shield coming up as he readied his mace to his side, unsure of what she'd do, her posture looking offensive yet ineffective.

Just before reaching him, Diana's weaponized arm swiftly moved forward, the inner part of the curve of her blade hugging her left side like a veil as her right arm allowed so by moving to her front and reaching her left hip.

Armin let his guard fall, as he was confused about her attack, his shield slightly falling from its' defensive position, barely covering his left side.

But then Diana was smirking, for every movement has its' counter-movement.

In a whip-like motion, Diana's armed hand cracked upwards, the belly of her blade coming dangerously close to Armin's face.

He could only watch as the blade slid against his helmet, taking it off him and leaving a cut on his cheekbone.

Armin reacted by dashing backwards, adrenaline shooting up his veins.

Diana slowly stood straight, her hand dexterously twirling the blade, bringing it to her front as she held it with both hands, a smile on her lips.

She was taunting him.

"What in the Void...?" Armin questioned, not expecting her to be so fast nor skilled.

"It's just me," she said, her perfect posture falling as she opened her arms, swinging her blade, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, loitering in front of her opponent so as to taunt him. "Just  _lunatic_ me." She added with a cocky look on her face.

Armin saw red and prepared to run towards her.

Diana grinned and did the same, the curved blade an extension of her arm.

They stampeded towards each other, Armin's shield at the ready in front of him and his mace to his side, Diana's torso at the front and her blade at her back like a deadly tail.

As they were about to clash, Armin wound up his mace.

Diana saw his attack coming.

So when he brought it towards her, she rolled underneath it, ending on her feet, his unprotected back to her.

She brought the sword to her chest and then slashed towards him, the blade perfectly cutting the popliteus muscle on the back of his knees.

Armin fell to the ground with a horrorful scream, the man releasing his weaponry as his hands rushed to his legs, rendered useless by Diana's attack.

The crowd went crazy, even Helena hollered, Leona staring in shock at the warrior's expertise.

Diana's smile faded away as she watched him, a serious look on her face. She raised her gaze towards the balcony where Eos and Khait had been, making eye contact with both as she made some steps away from Armin, her back to him.

She stuck her sword on the ground with one quick jab and stepped forward a bit more, the blade in between her and the fallen warrior, the pointy tip of the hilt shining under the bright sunlight like a deadly stake.

Her eyes never wavered from the balcony.

Eos was seeing red, his eyes were throwing daggers at her. She held his gaze, defiance in her own.

_Serves you right._

She looked away from him, into Khait's eyes, a question evident in her body language.

_Is it over? Have I won?_

She missed how Eos stared at Armin, a smirk forming on his lips.

The fallen soldier slowly crawled his way towards Diana, who stood by her sword, her back to it.

The crowd was still booming all around her so she didn't hear him slowly getting on his knees, his arms snaking to each side of the curved blade, towards Diana, a cruel idea on his mind.

She realized something was wrong when she saw the alert on Khait's eyes.

Leona panicked, too. " _Diana!"_ She screamed, calling her attention. " _Behind you!"_ She finished her warning.

But it was too late.

For when she was about to turn, Armin managed to reach her, hugging her waist from behind.

And bringing his whole weight down before fainting.

Piercing her body with the hilt of her own blade.

Helena let out a horrible scream as she saw the blade go through Diana's midsection. Marcus cried out in fear for his daughter, while Sekhet stared in silence, the shock rendering her mute.

Leona, though, felt as if the world was ending.

She didn't waste time as she sprinted towards the metallic gates, the roar of the crowd becoming a buzzing noise at the back of her head as she ran towards the entrance to the Arena, lowering her head and placing an arm in front of her, ready to strike it.

The power of the Sun was overflowing her, her eyes already turning into molten gold as she ran through the door, the heat of her body melting the door away as it touched her, the supernatural strength she possessed allowing her to push through the metal like it was nothing.

Once inside the pit, she reached Diana in no time, her body cooling off enough to touch the girl without harming her.

She slowly pulled the dazed, almost unconscious Diana away from the blade, gently picking her up before running to where she knew the infirmary was.

"Leo..." Diana attempted in her dream-like state, but Leona hushed her.

"It's okay." Leona answered as calmly as she could while rushing to the tribe's medics.

"It hurts." Diana squirmed a bit, trying to see her wound, but Leona's grip tightened as she hushed her again, willing some of her power into her body as she warmed herself up, trying to lull Diana to sleep with the heat.

"You're okay." Leona breathed out, glancing at Diana and offering her an easy smirk and the wink of an eye.

Nevermind that she was terrified.

Her steps became more hurried as Diana fell unconscious, the warrior rushing to get her to safety.

As she reached the infirmary, she approached two Ra-Horak who were standing there, talking idle things, not aware of her presence.

"Help me!" She bellowed, making them turn to look at her. Their eyes fell on Diana, both warriors recognizing her as the Solari who was to fight in the Rite of Kor.

They shared a long look, unsure of whether they should proceed or not, for this woman was supposed to die.

But then Khait reached the infirmary, arriving with a heavy breath. He looked at the medics and panicked at their lack of response, so he glared at them. "What are you two waiting for?!" He pointed at Diana. "Help her, you scum!"

After his command, both medics rushed to Leona, picking Diana gently off her arms and taking her into the infirmary.

Leona was about to follow them inside when two bulky guards stood on her way, not allowing her entrance.

"Let me through!" She shouted at them, trying to sidestep them, but the wouldn't be dodged.

"Sorry, Leo," One of them said, Leona recognizing him as Jann, a friend from the past. "We can't let you in, you'd slow the medics down just by being there."

Leona was about to say something or, even worse, do something, but then Khait gripped her shoulder, making her turn to look at him.

"Let it be for now." He said, realizing that Jann was right. "She'll be okay."

"Please, let me go," Leona pleaded, desperation starting to take over that temporary focus she had managed to build. " _Please,"_

 _"_ You can't-"

 ** _"_** ** _I love her!"_** She said to him, uncaring of the fact that Jann and his partner could understand her, too.  ** _"I love her, Khait!"_**

He looked at her with pain in his eyes, as if he had just been stabbed in the heart.

Leona tried to keep an expressionless look, but what she felt shone through her eyes. " ** _Let me see her, please."_**

"I can't, darling." He said between clenched teeth, as if he didn't really want to say it. "I'd love to let you in, but you know nobody can enter except for medics." He placed his hands on each of Leona's shoulders. "I'm sorry, but it's the rules."

"Break them!" Leona shouted at him, her eyes glassy. "Break them and let me be with her!"

He had the feeling she was talking about some other laws she wanted to defy, but opted for staying quiet and saying nothing about it.

Jann interfered, though. "Leo, it's best if you let them do their job. She'll have more chances this way."

"He's right," Khait said, his eyes darting to Jann for a second, gratitude shining in them. "No one will be able to see her before her condition's stable. Until then, you should rest."

Leona closed her eyes. "I don't think I'll can."

"Try." Khait said, gently pushing her away from the infirmary, guiding her towards the common bedroom where her bed once laid.

She breathed in, then exhaled slowly, trying to come down from her fear high.

Khait was still walking next to her, his arm around her shoulders. "We'll fix this mess." He let out confidently, trying to cheer up the girl. "I promise."

Leona nodded, though her mind disagreed with him.

She thought about Diana, about that uncanny weapon, about the dexterity with which she manipulated it….

About Armin…

And about Eos and what he may do to her if she survived.

_I hope you're right, Khait._

_For there are so many things that need to be fixed._


	17. Chapter 17

She was on the floor, her face against the dirt.

" _Get up."_ She heard Helena tell her. " _Get up and keep moving. You're not done yet."_

Diana slowly tried to obey, placing her hands on the floor and getting to her knees.

But an awful twinge on her abdomen forced her down again, her face landing against the cold floor.

Her eyes closed.

Darkness took over.

* * *

Leona laid on her old bed, staring at the ceiling.

Twenty-three hours.

It had been twenty-three hours since Khait kicked her out of the infirmary, telling her to wait until Diana's condition stabilized, promising he'd personally inform her when that occurred.

But the man hadn't appeared yet.

His absence only meant one thing for Leona; Diana had spent twenty-three hours playing the equilibrist, balancing herself on the thin line that separated life and death.

Twenty-three hours of contemplating death.

Of perhaps not making it.

_Perhaps. Only perhaps._

Because that was how things were with medics, especially when there was no sure answer, no certainty.

Everything was a possibility. A bigger or smaller one, but still a possible outcome.

She was tired of doubts, of different alternatives and possible outcomes.

Of waiting, and waiting, and waiting.

Adding hours to her mental clock.

_Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps._

* * *

She didn't open her eyes but felt herself coming back to consciousness.

She realized she was still on the floor, the soil's smell invading her nostrils.

The pain was still there, too, clawing at her belly.

" _Come on, Diana,"_  She heard Leona's voice say, Helena's presence completely gone, or that at least she thought as she realized she couldn't feel her around. The warrior offered her one of those tanned, armored hands. " _Time to get up."_

Diana got on her knees once more, her hands on the floor as she held her body up and away from the floor. She looked at Leona's hand and tried to take it in hers, but the pain grew, making her look at her own abdomen.

Her eyes grew in size as she saw the throbbing stab-like wound, blood pouring out of a  _hole_ on her stomach.

She felt like throwing up as she realized she could  _see through it._

Her attempt at grabbing Leona's hand failed as she fell to the ground once more, spasms keeping her grounded.

Her eyes didn't close.

And this time, instead of darkness, a pure, bright white made her blind.

* * *

Sixty-eight hours.

Almost three, full days.

Khait had dropped by eight hours ago. He had told the catatonic Leona that, while she still couldn't see the Solari for her condition wasn't optimal, Diana had stabilized and had bigger chances of survival. Leona had huffed a laugh.

"She always preferred the night," She muttered, as she found it ironic that Diana's condition became stable two days later, at midnight.

Khait didn't really get what she meant. He started to grow worried for his former student.

"Leo," He began, somewhat unsure of what to say as he sat down on the edge of her bed. "I know you're worried about her and trust me when I say that I'd be just as bad if I were on your position, but you need to take care of yourself, too." His brows furrowed as he shook his head, adding, "You haven't eaten in two days and I doubt you've slept much, either." He looked at her, a plea in his eyes. "Please, Leo, try to move on."

_Move on._

She huffed again, having heard him.

_As if._

She didn't say anything to him, though. She could think, but couldn't really speak.

So Khait sighed, worry evident on his body language, the feeling of uselessness making his mind a tortuous Hell, as he got up and left, knowing full well Leona wasn't really there.

Even the one laying on her bed knew she wasn't there.

_Not really. She hasn't been here for a while._

* * *

She was back in the Arena. She knew that much.

Somehow, she managed to recognize the floor.

Perhaps it was due to her face being glued to it for so long, the mud already part of her skin.

Leona was gone, just like Helena.

But she wasn't alone. She could feel someone else there, with her.

And the heat of the midday Sun had been replaced, too, with the cold breeze of a winter night.

She wasn't sure of how she knew it, but Diana was certain it was midnight.

" _Still down? Come on,"_ That ethereal, otherworldly voice that she couldn't identify said. " _Up we go."_ The voice's owner offered her a hand, much like Leona had done before, only this time the limb was pale and there was that rare, black and silver armor, adorning it and seemingly fitting like a glove.

" _After all,"_ The entity said, only this time it transformed, becoming a deep, smooth female voice. Diana realized she recognized it from somewhere, from  _someone_ , only problem was she couldn't pin it to anyone; she couldn't recall who the owner of such voice was.

She couldn't remember. It was a familiar yet strange feeling. A familiar yet strange voice.

What she  _did_ remember was the pain on her abdomen.

She didn't feel it anymore.

So she got on all fours, her eyes on the offered hand.

She tried to take it and succeeded.

" _We haven't met just yet."_ She heard the familiar stranger say, just as she looked up.

Silver eyes greeted her, along with a cold, yet dazzling smile.

Diana managed to get on her feet as the stranger helped her up.

And this time, when the darkness overrode the Full Moon's shine, Diana waited for it to come, for she wasn't afraid anymore.

She had been waiting for it.

* * *

Eighty-four hours.

She had counted minute by minute.

What was she counting for, again?

Wait; was someone there in the room with her? She wasn't sure.

It was a man. Well, that's what she thought. She wasn't certain, for her eyes were on the ceiling, not on him.

She didn't care enough to look. She didn't care enough to check.

What she knew, though, was that he was talking to her, saying something about someone waking up and how it was now her turn to do the same.

What in the Void did he mean by all of that? She wasn't sure.

She saw a figure stand up and, after letting out a sigh of defeat, leave.

It had been a man. Now she was certain of it.

_What was he talking about, again?_

_Nevermind._

**_Perhaps you should investigate, you might find something interesting._ **

Leona's brows raised millimetrically.

_You're right, you're right._

The warrior slowly got up, allowing that other presence in her mind to guide her to wherever she wanted her to be.

_Let's go._

**_Let's._ **

* * *

Diana groaned as she tried to open her eyes, feeling a sharp sting on the right side of her abdomen.

She heard movement all around her. There was someone near her.

Two people, she realized, as she heard them speak to each other.

 ** _"She's… She's awake?"_** She heard a female voice ask in the Old Rakkor.

 ** _"Already?"_** A male voice responded.  ** _"It can't be."_**

"Diana?" The girl asked her as she groggily opened her eyes, her vision still blurry. "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." Diana croaked, her voice husky from disuse. Her head was pounding, so she tried to raise her right hand to her head, but the task proved to be ridiculously difficult; something was holding her body in place, so she blinked, trying to ease the ache. "What happened?"

"Diana?" She heard Helena's voice call from further away. "Diana?!" Quick footsteps approached her. "Out of the way, you hindrances!" Helena's voice sounded as she pushed the Ra-Horak medics away, making her way towards Diana. " _Gremlin,_ you're  _awake_!"

The Solari was certain she could see Helena's figure there, right next to her. She blinked a couple of times to clear her sight, the headache slowing down her attempts. "Something like that."

Helena squealed in delight as she threw her body over Diana's hugging her friend.

But the hug didn't last long, for Diana let out a grunt of pain. "Lena, careful!"

Helena immediately recoiled, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry! I just…" She trailed off as she breathed out slowly, relief showering her, tears glistening in her eyes. "I'm just so glad you're awake."

Diana finally focused her sight on Helena. Had her friend always been that pretty? "I'm glad I'm awake, too." She said as she offered Helena a smile. "I think I missed you." She confessed as she scanned her friend's face.

Helena just laughed. "I missed you too, Di."

Diana then looked at herself, noticing an awful lot of bandages covering her torso, her hands strapped in place to her sides.

"Uh," She frowned, a bit nervous at the sight. "May I be… I don't know," She shrugged, "Released?"

The male medic approached her immediately. "Right away. Do not move much, though." He unstrapped her hands. "We haven't inspected your wound just yet and you may worsen it if you move around too much."

_That's why I was tied down, then. So as not to worsen my state._

Still, Diana kept frowning, for she didn't really know what had happened to her.

She remembered Armin, her final attack and then…

Pain. A lot of it.

Then black.

"If I may ask," Diana began unsure of how to approach the subject. "Could anybody tell me what happened to me?"

Helena looked at her friend, uneasiness in her eyes. "You don't remember?"

"Diana," The female medic said as she approached the wounded girl. "I'll need you to tell me how much you remember, if you remember anything at all."

Diana's brows furrowed as she thought. "I remember cutting the back of Armin's knees, then waiting for Commander Khait to crown me as victorious. Then," She gently lifted her left hand to her temple, rubbing the headache away. "Then pain and darkness. I don't know," She shook her head a bit. "It's all too blurry from there."

"Hm." The medic hummed as she thought. "Memory loss is normal when undergoing such traumatic experiences," She said, explaining Diana's amnesia to Helena. "Normally, one would think we only have two responses to any situation: Fight or flight. We actually have a third one, one our body may choose without us even thinking about it."

Helena's curiosity spiked up. "Which is?"

"We call it the freeze response." The girl responded. "You concentrate so much on surviving that some parts of your body  _freeze,_ shut down, the part of your brain that consolidate memories being one of them. Your body is doing everything in its' power to survive so it sacrifices some functions temporarily." The Ra-Horak looked at Diana. "If we are too much in our heads, we are not able to do what's necessary to survive."

"Adapt to survive." Diana said absentmindedly, feeling that mantra too familiar.

"Looks like you do that without even thinking about it." Helena joked, thinking the same as Diana. "You're a natural."

"About what happened," The male medic said, calling everyone's attention. "I'll tell you everything, if you're ready for it and wish me to do so."

Diana slowly nodded. "I would like to know."

So the medic sat down next to her and began his storytelling, letting her know everything that had happened right after she defeated Armin. Armin's attack, the hilt going through her, Leona's rescue.

As he told her each event, Diana began to remember, memories coming to her like flashbacks, sudden images that she thought she had dreamed.

_Guess they were all real._

She realized she hadn't dreamed the hilt of her own sword going through the right side of her belly.

She blushed as she remembered Leona winking at her, the warrior's heat lulling her to sleep.

_Leona._

"Feel free to ask me anything you want." The medic said as his partner checked her vitals, making some annotations regarding her condition.

She wanted to ask about the warrior, but many other questions were chaotically dancing around her mind, too.

So she decided she'd slowly clear all of her doubts, leaving the biggest question of all for the end.

So she'd start with the least interesting ones.

The ones regarding Armin.

"In the end…" She began, a playful smirk on her lips. "Did I win or not?"

The medic chuckled; he liked that question. "It's complicated, since Leona interfered before anything extreme could happen." He laid back on his seat. "Khait declared you as the winner, though, for you succeeded at rendering Armin useless."

"I'll take it he's alive, too?"

"Yes, he survived. Once Leona got you out of there, Solari medics ran to Armin's side." He snorted. "Funny, the Ra-Horak took care of you while the Solari took care of him. Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

Diana looked at him with a bored expression. "Trust me, I'm more Ra-Horak than him."

The boy smiled at her, "That much I saw."

Diana looked away, though a smug smile planted itself on her lips. After a moment, she decided to ask, "How is he?"

"Alive. He can't walk, though, and won't be able to do so for a long time." The boy responded and, as Diana looked at him, he added, "That's why you were declared the winner; you disabled him. Sure, he survived and managed to take you down, too, but still, he even ended up fainting before you did." The boy nodded then, "And yours was a far more complicated injury."

"Which begs the question…" Diana interrupted, nervous about asking what her condition was. "How am  _I_ doing?" She grimaced as she let it out, feeling a bit fearful.

"That's," The female Ra-Horak interfered, a frown on her face. "That's actually really hard to answer."

"How so?" Helena asked, taking the words right out of Diana's mouth.

"It's… weird." The girl said, the frown never leaving her expression. "You were hurt pretty badly; the hilt of your blade went completely through you, from one side of your torso to the other." The girl raised a brow. "A wound like that usually takes at least a month to heal enough to return to normal, light activities, but yours…"

Helena's eyes went directly to Diana's abdomen. "But hers…?"

"In just three days and a half, your wound already scarred as a normal, month-old one of the same size would." The girl finished as she approached Diana. Her hands went to the bandages on her abdomen. "May I?"

Diana blushed a bit, but nodded nonetheless. "Go ahead."

So the girl slowly, gently, removed the bandages enough to see the wound. Both Helena and Diana looked at the opening on the raven haired girl's stomach, kept together by a set of stitches, the medical intervention making sure the stab remained closed.

"I don't know, doc," Helena said, doubting the girl. "Why does she still have stitches?"

"Because she shouldn't have healed so quickly, so we didn't really know what to do with her treatment. We decided to adapt it to her healing speed, but the process remained the same." The medic responded as she shook her head. "The stab was deep enough it went through her, you shouldn't forget that."

"Trust me," Helena stopped her with an annoyed tone. "I don't think I'll ever forget that." She added, a note of pain at the memory of her friend being hurt tainting her words.

"We took some measures, just in case we were reading her improvement wrong, so we kept the stitches, just in case. Her organs and muscles have already developed scar tissue, so they're almost good enough to go. The openings are almost closed, too." The doctor gently inspected the wound, her fingers delicately touching the stitches. "She's done a full month of healing in just three days. It's strange, to say the least."

Diana hissed, making the doctor flinch. "It still hurts, though."

The medic looked at her apologetically. "It will for a while, but you may return to some light activity."

"Light?"

"Yeah," The boy intervened. "That basically means everything except for anything too taxing. No training, no sparring, no running…"

"No fun." Diana said, looking bored.

The boy chuckled. "No fun."

Diana sighed, looking too unhappy about her condition. Helena huffed.

"Finally, you'll stay put for a minute or two." She looked at Diana smugly. "Serves you right."

The girl raised an eyebrow at her friend. "It just means I'll have more energy to burn. Can you guess how I'll do that?"

Helena raised her brows, dreading what Diana was about to say.

Then the Solari was leaning forwards as much as she chould without inflicting any pain on herself. "I'll torment you, day after day, until I can exercise again."

The groan Helena let out could be heard outside the infirmary.

As the rest of the people there laughed, the short girl's expression turned into a playful glare. "Yeah, you two," She said, pointing at the medics. "You two laugh because you don't have to put up with her. But  _me?_ " She sighed. "What about  _me?_ She's going to be the end of me."

"I don't know," The boy said, his eyes intense on Diana. "I think I wouldn't mind being in your position." He smirked, making Diana blush.

_Okay, I see what you're doing._

She ignored Helena's pointed look as she tried to change the subject. "Where's Leona?" She finally asked.

And everyone in the room became silent, their expressions falling.

Diana frowned. "What's the matter?"

"Di," Helena began, unsure of how to approach the subject. "Leona's not… feeling well."

Diana grew worried. "What happened?" She immediately asked, but then Helena's hand was on her shoulder.

"Relax, she's fine. Safe and sound. It's just," She sighed, taking a minute to figure out what to say. "She hasn't really  _been there."_

Diana didn't understand, so she raised an eyebrow as she echoed her friend. " _Been there?"_

Helena nodded. "She's like, absent minded, but to an extreme."

"Ever since you passed out," The female medic said, "Leona's not responded, staring off into space." She frowned, then. "I don't remember ever seeing her like that."

_Oh, Leo…_

Diana's face showed the sadness she felt upon hearing her Chosen's condition. "May I see her?"

The medic looked at her, then chuckled. "First, you're treated by the Ra-Horak while you should be taken care of by the Solari. Now, you ask to see Leona as if  _she_  were the patient and  _you_  the visitor. Funny how you seem to do everything the other way around."

Diana shrugged. "It's how I handle life." She said, as she smirked, sharing a knowing look with Helena as she thought of their little, forbidden investigation.

_If only she knew just how far that goes in my life._

"You'll be free to go tomorrow morning. For now, you'll have to stay, at least until Commander Khait sees you. Which reminds me," The female medic said as she gave all of her notes to her partner. "Go look for him, you."

The boy looked annoyed. "Why me?!"

The girl looked at him smugly. "So that you stop drooling over our patient." She retorted, making him turn beet red as he automatically stood up and left, looking for the Commander. She then looked at Diana, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry about that, but he  _is_ right;" She smiled at Diana, her eyes lazily settling on Diana's lips. "You  _are_ beautiful. Did you know that?"

Diana blushed, any kind of response completely gone from both her mind and mouth as Helena interfered, unable to keep her mouth shut. "So you like my friend?"

The girl smirked, looking charmingly at Diana. "Yes." Her eyes roamed all over Diana. "I'm far more straightforward than my partner, though."

"And opportunist." Diana commented absentmindedly.

_And shameless._

The girl laughed. "I like to take opportunities when I see them."

"Or force them into existing when you can." Helena corrected as she smirked at the Ra-Horak, enjoying how both of them were making Diana squirm. "You're good with words, eh?"

It seemed the Ra-Horak medic noticed what entertained Helena, for she gave her a knowing look as she smirked and leaned forward, talking to her as if she were sharing a secret, though Diana could hear her, "Oh, believe me, I'm better with my tongue-"

"We're back!" Her partner said as he entered the room with Khait behind him.

"Oh  _thank_ the  _Sun,_ " Diana let out without even thinking, as the situation defused when their Commander walked in, the girl standing up and saluting him, dropping the sinful subject she had been discussing moments ago. "Greetings, Commander." She said as his eyes immediately settled on her, ignoring the medic's salute.

"You're awake!" He let out excitedly as a smile grew on his lips. "Which is…" He frowned, "Weird, to say the least."

Diana nodded. "I already know."

"She's good to go, Commander." The female medic intervened, making him look at her. "We already checked her up."

"And out." Helena muttered under her breath, making Diana choke on her own spit. The Commander looked at her, slightly concerned.

"Are you sure? That didn't sound optimal."

"I'm fine!" Diana said, the pitch of her voice funnily high. She cleared her throat. "I'm fine." She frowned then, as she added, "But I'll take it Leona isn't?"

Khait's expression became painful, the memory of Leona's vacant stare and her confession of love both stabbing him in the heart. "She isn't."

"What's up with her?" Diana asked as she sat up, worry coating her features.

"She's out of her mind. Literally." He sighed, one of his hands going up to his hair, brushing it away from his face. "We dropped by her room to inform her of your awakening and she hasn't reacted."

Diana's heart ached upon hearing the news. "Not a gesture, a word, not a thing?"

Khait shook his head. "Nothing." An idea came to mind. "Perhaps she'll react if she sees you."

Diana's chest tightened at the thought, fear holding her in its' awful stranglehold as she remembered what she had done before entering the Arena, embarrassment at her actions and fear of rejection keeping her in place. "I don't know how much of a good idea that is."

Helena frowned, deep in thought, as she realized she was the only one in the room knowing both Diana's and Leona's sides of the story, possessing, by accident, every piece of information there was to be known. "I actually agree with the Commander in this one." She said, raising her gaze and meeting Diana's stare, a focused determination shining in her eyes. "You should see her." She finished, the tone she used being somewhat authoritative, hoping the other girl would realize there was a somewhat hidden message on her words.

Diana shook her head, thinking Helena didn't know about the kiss. "No, really, Lena, I-"

" _Diana."_ Helena called her, emphasizing her name, making her concentrate as she leaned forward. "You  _really_ should see her." She added, laying back again. "You don't know how worried she was that you were in that arena, trapped with Armin." She tried to be subtle, hoping no one would notice there was more to her words.

"And how worried she was while you were unconscious," Khait added, looking at Helena, intrigue in his eyes as he wondered if the girl knew. He suspected she did. "I think she needs to see you." He said, making Helena look at him, the girl reading into his words, suspecting exactly the same as he did about her.

Diana's eyes went from Helena to Khait, from Khait to Helena. What was up with those two? What did they know that she didn't?

She sighed, admitting defeat but reluctant to make it easy as she said, "Either way, she'd have to come here for me to talk to her. Doc over here said I cannot leave until tomorrow morning."

"Bullshit." Khait said, immediately standing up, making both Diana and Helena look at him with raised eyebrows. "You're coming with me."

"Wait, no, I can't-"

"Cry all you want," Khait said as he grabbed her by the arm, managing to lift her up and off bed without bothering her wound. "I'll have none of it."

As Diana was taken away from her bed, she began to blush, once she realized she only had her bandages on, along with some flimsy, infirmary underwear that barely covered her chest and her crotch. The sight made Khait stop in his manhandling as he assessed the situation.

"Okay," He began, his eyes focused on Diana's form, a thinking frown on his face. "Perhaps we should cover you up a bit."

"I think she's damn fine like that, if you ask me." The female medic said, a lewd expression on her face. "Besides, wasn't she supposed to join our ranks? Ra-Horaks are proud of their body and aren't ashamed of showing it off."

Khait glared at the girl. "But she's no Ra-Horak." He responded as he grabbed Diana's Solari robes from the shelf where they had been stacked and threw them at their owner. "Put that on."

Diana obliged at the speed of sound, offering the medic a victorious smirk.

The girl just winked back.  _The smile suits you,_ she mouthed.

So Diana blushed and looked at Khait, "Shall we go?" She asked quickly, eager to leave the uncomfortable situation behind.

If Khait noticed what made her so eager to leave, he didn't comment on it as he turned and guided her out, Helena and the medics following closely, the Solari and the female Ra-Horak laughing under their breath.

They were on a silent, empty hall, already on their way to Leona's room, when the sight of the warrior, walking towards them and looking disoriented made them halt.

Leona's eyes were unfocused, on the floor, until she saw the feet of several people on her way. She raised her gaze, her eyes lazily roaming over their faces.

Freezing on Diana. Khait could have sworn he saw her flinch.

Leona's vacant stare slowly became alive, her eyes focusing, her brows raising slightly, her breathing deepening to a normal, visible level. Her mouth slightly open in a mute gasp, Leona didn't look away as she finally found her voice, using it for the first time in days. "Diana?" She said, her voice raspy.

Diana nodded. "Hello, Radiant Dawn." She said, a smile on her lips.

"Let's go," Khait said to the rest of the people in there, "Let's leave them be." He turned and left, commanding everyone to do the same.

Leona's eyes never left Diana's though she waited until everyone was out of sight to actually move.

When she was certain nobody else was there, Diana grew uneasy. "I don't know how to begin," She said, looking away, to the ground. Shame for her actions took over, making her stutter. "I'd like you to forget about it," She heard Leona's hurried footsteps approaching her as she began, "About what I did before the-"

But then she felt Leona's hands on her jaw, forcing her to look up at her.

As she crashed her lips against hers, shutting her up.

Leona pulled away, though her lips were still grazing Diana's as she breathed out the words, "Don't even dream of it."

Diana felt her head spinning, unsure of what had just happened. "I-"

Then Leona was kissing her again, not allowing her to speak. "You." She whispered against her mouth, kissing her again.

The Solari then pushed the Ra-Horak away, though gently so as not to alarm Leona. "Wait." She sensed Leona was about to kiss her again, "Please." She quickly added, so the warrior stopped.

"You've got a minute." Leona whispered, her eyes scanning Diana's face.

"What is this?" Diana asked her immediately, not wishing to get her hopes up in vain.

"What do you think it is?"

Diana chuckled. "Heaven." She said, a smile on her lips.

Leona mirrored her expression. "And what you made me go through with that goodbye kiss was Hell."

Diana smiled, rubbing her nose against Leona's neck as she hid her face. "Should I apologize?"

"By the Sun,  _no."_  Leona said with a laugh, her hands finding their rightful place on Diana's waist. "I don't regret the suffering." She placed her mouth against Diana's ear, letting her voice drop an octave. "Though you'll have to make up for it."

Diana blushed, feeling Leona's approach too intense, as it made her nervous. "I would like to talk about this all first."

Leona chuckled, having seen that coming. "Come." She said, letting go of Diana, but catching her hand with her own, gently guiding her to her room.

But they weren't able to walk much as they heard someone calling them.

" _Diana!"_ A somewhat desperate tone to Marcus' voice as he ran towards them from where Khait and the rest had gone to.

Leona immediately let go of Diana's hand, fear of what Marcus may think taking over.

She saw Diana's expression fall a bit out of the corner of her eye, so she made up for the lack of contact by stepping closer to the girl.

The smirk that Diana tried to hide was worth it.

Marcus was about to catch Diana in a hug, not even stopping his stampede, as Diana stepped backwards instinctively, her hands coming up in front of her so as to stop him as she said, "Don't, I'm wounded!"

He halted just as Leona turned, looking at Diana with worry. "Where?!" The both of them asked in unison, making the girl do a double take at both of them.

"Really, you're asking that?" She asked, a brow raised. "Didn't you see a piece of metal going through me some days ago?" Diana pointed at the right side of her stomach. "Stay away from this."

Leona didn't have time to react as Marcus embraced Diana, carefully following her instructions.

"When I saw Helena so calm and asked her about you, I couldn't believe it." He said, his voice somewhat watery.

The man stole Diana's attention, making the girl walk with her to a common room where Mistress Sekhet awaited news of her wellbeing.

Diana looked back at Leona, an apologetic look in her eyes.  _Sorry,_ she mouthed.

Leona smirked.  _Later._

So Diana nodded, a promise being made.

_Not like I'm ever escaping you again, anyway._


	18. Chapter 18

Marcus hadn't let go of her in all day.

After stealing her from Leona, the man took Diana to see Sekhet, who shed a tear as she hugged her favorite student.

Diana had gathered enough courage to ask about the Elders' whereabouts, to which Sekhet had retorted they had already gone back to the Temple, knowledge that made Diana sigh in relief.

She wasn't ready to face Eos. She knew he'd be furious she had maimed Armin.

She didn't know he'd also be furious about her choice of weapon and the fact that she had survived.

No, not only survived, but  _won._

But the Elders' departure meant they also had to leave, so she couldn't talk with Leona about anything just yet.

So now they were ready to go, about to get on their carriages, Khait and some other Ra-Horak waiting to see them off.

As Sekhet and Marcus were already in the carriage, Leona, Helena and Diana said their last goodbyes to the soldiers who were there.

Diana bowed in front of Khait, careful not to stress her wound. "I'll be eternally grateful for your help."

Khait smiled at her as he then bowed just as deep. "It has been my honor, just like it's my only regret that I've allowed such a capable warrior to slip away like that." He saw Diana smile at him. "I got a present for you." He said, before turning and picking something up, not even allowing Diana any kind of objection. He then showed her his gift; the curved blade he had designed for her, along with a simple leather strap, for her to place the sword on her back. "I know it may not bring pleasant memories, but it's yours and only yours." Diana took the sword between her hands, "I doubt that anybody else can handle it like you do, anyways."

Diana chuckled, unsure of what to say. "Thank you, Commander. I'll take good care of it."

They felt Leona approaching, so Diana smiled at the Commander one last time and left for the carriage, letting the man bid farewell his former student.

Before he could say anything, Leona launched herself over him, hugging him tight.

 ** _"_** ** _I may not be who you had wanted me to be, but a part of me will always be yours."_** She pulled away, a look of pride on her face.  ** _"And you'll always have my gratitude."_**

Khait shook his head, a smile on his lips.  ** _"No, Leona. You're not who I wanted you to be."_** He placed a hand on her shoulder.  ** _"You're much more than that. Far better than what I expected and trust me when I say I had high hopes of you."_**

 ** _"_** ** _You're the father I wish I had."_** She finally confessed, tears threatening to fall.

 ** _"_** ** _And you're my daughter, no matter what anyone says."_** He hugged her, letting his voice fall to a whisper,  ** _"Take good care of your loved one."_** He let out, feeling Leona tighten the embrace, nodding furiously.

As they pulled away, the warrior walk towards Diana, helping her into the carriage and stepping inside after her.

Helena patted Khait on the back. "Good job, you." She said, a smile on her lips.

He smirked, raising a brow at her. "You know, then?" He saw Helena nod. "How long?"

"Diana? Weeks. Leona? Days." She responded, seeing the man's brows raise.

"Diana...?" He began, the question dying on his mouth as he saw Helena nod.

"Don't tell me it isn't obvious."

Khait nodded. "Yeah, you're right." He chuckled, "Safe travels, Acolyte." He finished as he bowed, moving towards the carriage to talk to the driver, leaving Helena alone.

Her loneliness didn't last long, though, for the two Ra-Horak medics flanked her, then.

"Well," the female medic said. "There goes any kind of chance with that one."

"What do you mean?" The boy asked.

"Oh come on, didn't you see how they looked at each other?" His partner asked. "It's obvious they're head over heels for each other."

Helena nodded. "Can confirm."

As the boy groaned, the female medic stared at Helena, a knowing look on her face as she began, "You, on the other hand..." She placed her hand on Helena's waist. "Did I forget to mention you're also pretty cute?"

"Oh, no." Helena said, gently taking the girl's hand off of her. "What's your name, girl?"

The somewhat surprised girl kept watching Helena. "Althea."

"Ok, Althea, I'll have you know a thing." Helena said with an authoritative tone. "I already know just how  _gorgeous_ I am; I don't need anyone telling me and I'm not some consolation prize. You wanted Diana, you failed, you tried your luck with me, you shall fail again. Now, if you excuse me, I'm leaving." She finished, huffing and walking to the carriage, getting in without as much as a glance back.

Both medics stared at the carriage, astonished looks on their faces.

"You... Have you seen that girl?" Althea asked her partner, seeing him nod out of the corner of her eye. "I'm going to marry that girl."

"What?" The boy asked, incredulously. "You can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Because I like her, too!"

"Do you have to like  _everyone_  I like?" Althea asked, annoyance in her voice. "Doesn't matter," she shrugged. "I call dibs."

He scoffed. "You can't call dibs on a person!"

So Althea looked at him, defiance in her eyes. "Will this be a battle to the death like the Rite of Kor? Because I'm in."

"The Solari girl is mine." The boy sentenced.

So Althea stared at him straight in the eye, "That spunky girl is my soulmate." She scoffed. "Let the best Ra-Horak win."

The boy mimicked his actions, crossing his arms in front of him. "Fine."

So when the carriage was ready to go and they saw Khait waving at it as it began to move, Althea quickly shouted, "Farewell, my love!"

The boy tried to shut her up with his hand, but Althea kept dodging him, making him swear.

Helena was seeing it all from the carriage, a smug smirk on her lips.

Diana laughed. "Quite the heartbreaker, you." She said as she nudged Helena with her elbow.

Leona huffed, looking through the window so as to avoid saying anything else, for Sekhet and Marcus were there with them, too.

"Ra-Horaks are...  _quirky,_ aren't they?" Sekhet commented, somewhat uncomfortable, not wishing to make Leona uncomfortable.

"They definitely approach some subjects in an odd manner." Marcus agreed.

They missed how the three girls looked at each other knowingly, a big secret being kept between the three. Surely, it was okay to talk about it when they were talking about the warrior tribe, but...

...But they didn't dare even suggest the idea of one of them feeling attraction for their same gender.

They didn't dare even think of confessing the truth of two of them being in love with each other.

And of those two being none other but the Chosen of the Sun and the Moon-Lover.

Diana gulped.  _Stuck between a rock and a hard place._

So the trip back home was silent, though Diana could feel Leona's hot gaze on her, unwavering.

And every time Diana stared back, she saw Leona's enlarged pupils darting towards her lips as she but her own. The sight forced Diana to look away, for it was far more than what she could handle. Leona had noticed it.

So she did it as often as she could, enjoying the Solari's reaction.

And thus the trip back home turned into a torture for both of them.

Diana was thankful for the constant teasing, though, for the distraction proved to be good enough to make her feel as if the long trip lasted less than it did, so they arrived to the Temple in no time.

But when she saw Eos' furious expression upon arriving and exiting the carriage, she suddenly remembered she hadn't wanted to arrive so soon.

"High Acolyte Diana," he  _greeted_  as everyone got out of the carriage at the Temple's main entrance. "Finally, you're back."

Diana bowed a bit, her right hand on her abdomen, as if holding her wound in place. "Elder Eos."

The man's eyes went to Marcus, who walked to Diana's side, eyeing him warily. Eos smirked at the man as he continued talking, "Please, Acolyte, I request your attendance at the Ceremony Room." His eyes went to Marcus, who looked as he expected to escort her there. "The carriage will take you back home, gentleman. Safe travels." He smirked bowing a bit, dismissing the man.

Marcus looked at Eos, confused, as two Solari guards flanked him, ready to guide him back to the carriage. "But... but I-"

"You may visit some other time. We have too much in our hands right now." Eos explained.

So Marcus instinctively walked towards Diana and hugged her.

"Be safe," He whispered in her ear, for he felt a threat coming for her. "I'll keep you in my thoughts back home."

"May the Sun guide you back safely," Diana whispered back as she pulled away, "And may her light make our paths cross again." She finished, a smile on her lips.

Marcus caressed her cheek one last time and saw himself out and away, leaving his daughter behind.

"I'll be in the Ceremony Room in a moment, my Elder." Diana finally stated. "I'll leave my belongings in my room, first, if I may."

Eos narrowed his eyes, but accepted her request, nonetheless. "Very well. I shall be waiting." He finished, turning and leaving.

An annoyed Sekhet placed her hand on Diana's shoulder for a second, then followed Eos' trail as she cursed him under her breath, Diana letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"Well, I'm glad that is over." Helena commented about the sudden request Eos had made.

Diana grimaced. "I believe that was just the beginning, Lena." She sighed, already tired. "Can't I have a rest?"

Leona gently pushed her body against Diana's making the girl lose her balance for a moment. "Nope! You can't." She said, smiling warmly at her.

Diana tried to suppress a smile as she nudged Leona with her elbow. "Hush, you. Behave."

"I'll try,  ** _but it's hard to do so with you so close to me."_** Leona said, switching languages mid-sentence.  ** _"You make me want to do very bad things."_** She added, a sinful tone to her words.

Diana bit her lip.  ** _"First, we must talk."_** She sentenced, hoping to discourage Leona's advances temporarily.

But she realized she hadn't succeeded as Leona whispered right into her ear,  ** _"You didn't refuse. Does it mean my wrongdoings will come after our chat?"_**

"Hey, you two," Helena interrupted, moving towards them and standing between them, forcing them to take a step back. "No secrets in public when I'm around." She said, glaring at Diana, then at Leona. "Leave that for your  _intimate_ moments." She whispered, raising her brows suggestively, earning a nudge on the ribs from Leona and a deep frown from Diana.

"Wait..." the raven haired girl said. "You... you know?" She asked Helena, incredulously.

The short one nodded. "A lot of stuff happened while you took that long nap of yours in the infirmary." She saw Diana about to say something, so she quickly cut her off. "But that's a story someone  _else_  has to tell you." She said, her eyes darting quickly to Leona. "And I've got work to do, so I'll see you two later." She patted both of them on their shoulders and left, leaving them alone.

Diana looked at Leona. "I must speak to Eos first." She said, knowing what Leona was about to suggest.

The warrior nodded. "I'll go with you."

"You don't have to."

Leona shrugged, "No, I don't, but I want to." She smiled, then. "And after talking with him, you're coming to my room." She finished, her voice lower, her gaze hazier.

Diana blushed. "Just to talk." She sentenced.

Leona chuckled, but nodded nonetheless, though her eyes seemed to talk on their own as Diana basically read her mind.

_And then some._

"Just to talk." Leona echoed, making Diana nod.

"Wait here." Diana commanded, going to the carriage to get her stuff.

She was about to reach the transport when Leona suddenly appeared in front of her, picking all of her stuff up, even the curved sword, with ease, as she then turned to look at Diana, a grin on her lips. "Lead the way."

Diana sighed. "I told you to wait, didn't I?"

"Yes, but you can't expect me to let you lift all of this up while having a wound like yours, can you?" Leona retorted, a raised brow. "I'll help you."

"Leona..."

"Why not?"

Diana's stare became intense.  ** _"Because I fear that, if we both enter my room, you may not let me leave it for a while."_**

Leona laughed at Diana's sinful belief of what she may do to the Solari. She shook her head as she responded,  ** _"I promise I will not do nor say anything until you allow me to."_**

Diana raised a brow. "Really?"

Leona nodded. "Really. I swear on my life. May lightning strike me if I'm lying."

Diana chuckled. "Fine. Let's go." She said, then turned and began to move to her room, Leona following her closely.

Their quiet walk finished as they arrived at Diana's room, the girl opening the door to let Leona walk in. The Ra-Horak left almost all of her belongings on the ground, near the bed, excepting the curved blade. She inspected her Commander's handiwork, marveling at the details, like the carefully crafted, sharp edges, or the engravings on the blade, like an old Ra-Horak phrase that Khait had placed on the blade, one that could be found on the most sacred of their weapons, for it worked as a good omen for battle;  ** _May life become death after meeting my steel._**

Leona chuckled, leaving the blade on the bed, allowing further inspection to take place later.

Without saying a word, but moving as closely to Diana as possible, just to make her breath hitch, the woman being too aware, Leona followed Diana to the Ceremony Room.

As they reached the door, the warrior stepped away, breaking down any kind of suspicious behavior. Diana looked at her over her shoulder, gratitude shining in her eyes, then she opened the door and walked in, Leona following closely. They saw the Elders sat at their table, Eos' eyes already on them.

Diana sighed and braced herself as she reached them. She bowed as much as she could. "I'm here to respond to your summonings, my Elder."

Eos stood up. "Finally," he said, glaring at Diana. His eyes then wandered to Leona and, as he made eye contact with her, he bowed. "My Chosen, you have no need to attend this meeting."

Leona bowed, too, though she never broke eye contact as she smirked, "I'm fully aware of it, Elder Eos, but I want to remain by my mentor's side nonetheless." She had the nerve to look apologetic as she added, "I can't stop myself from protecting those who need it and, since she's been awfully injured, I'd very much rather stay close so as to aid her, may the need arise."

Eos grimaced. "Why would she need protection in here? She's safe."

Leona raised a brow as she felt Diana suppress a huff. "Are you questioning my choice?" She inquired, choosing to avoid his question.

Eos blushed in embarrassment. "Of course not!"

"Then I'll stay." Leona sentenced standing straight, next to Diana.

Leona smirked as she saw a muscle in Eos' jaw move as he subtly clenched his teeth. "Very well." His eyes went back to Diana. "High Acolyte, first things first; how are you feeling?" He asked with a sickening smile on his lips as he tried to pretend he cared.

Diana looked at her abdomen, where her wound laid, underneath layers of cloth. "As good as one can be after being impaled, my Elder." She responded, a bored tone to her voice, though then she frowned, adding, "Well, a bit better than that, actually."

"I'm glad," he responded, no sign of joy on his face as he actually looked bothered by the news.

Diana cleared her throat, uncomfortable by his reaction. "If I may ask, my Elder, why was I summoned?"

Eos slowly walked towards her, predator lurking his prey. "I've been thinking about the Rite, Acolyte."

Diana felt fear. "Will I be punished?"

Eos raised a brow. "Why would you be punished?"

"For hurting Armin." Diana thought out loud, then she felt the need to explain herself. "My Elder, all I've done in the Arena was just out of necessity-"

"You won't be punished today." Eos' interruption shut her up, making her blink as she processed his words.

"I," She begun, unsure. "I don't..." She frowned, discarding her attempt and settling for an easier one. "No?"

Eos shook his head. "No."

"Then, if I may ask... What did you need of me?"

Eos remained quiet as he stared into her eyes, his gaze becoming a scorching fire. He finally spoke, going straight to the point. "Where did you get that sword from?"

Diana didn't see it, but Leona narrowed her eyes at the man, suspicious of him. "I got it from Commander Khait. He gave it to me before entering the Arena."

Eos' head lolled to a side as he scrutinized the Solari. "Why did he give you it?"

"He offered it." She lied.

And Eos saw a certain, strange confidence, or lack of it, on her face, heard it on her voice, so his eyes became slits as he inquired, "And why did he do such a thing?"

Diana shook her head, fear starting to creep up her back but confusion as to what was so strange about her weapon making her naively brave. "I don't understand, my Elder. Why would that matter?"

"Diana, you're not here to ask questions, but to answer them." Eos said as he got all over her face, his tone growing authoritative. "Where did that sword come from?"

"From the Commander, I already-"

"And where did he get it? How long has he had one in his possession? Does anyone else know about it?!" His voice grew as the man became impatient. "When, where, how did you learn to wield it?!"

Diana grew nervous, but tried to keep her cool, even though her speech grew faster. "How could I possibly know how long he's had a curved blade-"

"How is it that you can wield a khopesh and not even know what it's called?!" His voice boomed as he shouted.

"I didn't even know it had a name-"

"How can he know about it? He shouldn't!"

Diana couldn't stop herself as she tried to ask a final thing. "Why not-"

"Because it's forbidden!" His final bellow was, a deafening silence taking place after it.

As his accelerated breathing slowly became normal again, Leona interfered, her voice soft and gentle, but not because of kindness as much as confusion as she frowned and asked, "...And why is it forbidden? Why can't anyone know about it?" Her frown deepened as she thought about his words, something calling her attention as she asked, "What's more important, how would you know such blade's name if it's forbidden and no one can know about it?"

Eos' eyes nervously darted from Diana to Leona, his mind racing as the warrior analyzed his face, her suspicion growing by the second.

Leona was about to push the subject further, but Elder Akins entered the room, making everyone look at him.

"Oh," He said, a slight look of surprise on his face, like he didn't expect to see them all in there. His eyes fell on the Sun's Avatar. "Leona! There you are."

"Elder Akins." Leona said, bowing in respect, Diana mimicking her. "Where you looking for me?"

"I was, actually." He responded as he walked towards her. When be saw Diana, he bowed his head a bit in acknowledgement. "High Acolyte."

"My Elder."

"What may I do for you?" Leona asked him, catching his attention.

"I believe we should discuss the terms of your upcoming journey to Demacia." Akins said, his face serious, though the hint of a smirk adorned his lips. "Give you a bit of information on who you'll be meeting and what needs to be discussed."

Leona nodded. "Very well."

"If you would so kindly follow me-"

"Oh, no." Leona cut him off, making him blink in surprise. "It will have to wait until tomorrow."

"May I know why?" The question came, though there was no malice nor annoyance, only curiosity.

Leona already had the excuse planned. "Because I must take Diana to the medics, so they can inspect the development of her wound." She explained, feeling Diana move behind her.

Akins' eyes went to the warrior's mentor. "How are you feeling, Acolyte?"

Leona turned and saw Diana had already prepared the act, for she had a look of discomfort and a hand on her belly. "I'm improving fast, but it still bothers me from time to time." She said, careful not to go against what she had said before to Eos nor Leona's words for Akins.

Akins nodded, a sympathetic look on his face. "I'm glad to hear you're better. You fought valiantly." He praised her, honesty in his voice.

Diana felt touched by his words. "Thank you, my Elder." She let out, actually meaning it.

Akins smiled at her and nodded in acknowledgement of her words. Then, he looked at Eos.

"Elder Eos, if I recall correctly, you were interested in learning the following trips our Chosen will be doing?"

Eos nodded. "Yes, Elder Akins."

"Then come," he responded, turning to leave and motioning for Eos to follow him. "The other Elders are ready to discuss the topic now."

Eos looked at the warrior and the acolyte, then looked at his equal and nodded. "Lead the way." He said, then he followed as they left, though his eyes looked back at the girls, anger shining in his pupils.

Diana sighed as soon as they were left alone, "Will I ever get some rest?"

Leona chuckled as she shook her head, placing her hand on Diana's shoulder. "I don't think so."

Diana smiled at her words, then silence took over. She looked at Leona, aware of how the woman was staring back.

"Shall we go to our cliff?" Leona asked her somewhat innocently, though Diana could feel the real weight of those words, of that question.

So she gulped her nervousness down and agreed. "Sounds like a good idea." She said, nodding, as Leona gently began to lead her outside.

As they walked there, Leona noticed a frown on Diana's face. "You okay?"

The Solari looked up at the concerned warrior, offering her a small smile. "Yes, I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

Diana chuckled as she shook her head. "My mind is a maze at the moment, Leo." An apologetic smile planted itself on her face as she said, "When I can organize my thoughts, I'll tell you about it."

Leona smiled at her, subtly taking her hand as they exited the temple, each step they took making her grin even wider as Diana's thumb caressed her own in gentle strokes.

They reached their cliff near sunset, neither knowing exactly what to say.

But, as Diana stood near the edge, watching the Sun in the sky, Leona gathered the courage and begun, going for honesty. "Can I confess something to you, Diana?"

The Solari looked at her and nodded.

"I've never been the best with words." Leona chuckled as she glanced away, letting herself remember her past. "Even among the Ra-Horak, who aren't too charismatic, either, I've always stuck out due to my lack of brightness when it came to speech." She smirked. "Still, my comrades would admire how, with just four letter words and dumb answers, I would always manage to say exactly what needed to be said." She looked at Diana. "I'd always, somehow, nail it; I would voice what my people needed to hear."

Diana chuckled. "Despite the simplicity, you'd deliver; you'd always know what to say."

Leona beamed. "Exactly!" She kept nodding, pointing at Diana. "That, exactly." Then, her expression became relaxed. "With you, it's different though." She gently smiled as she looked at the Sun. "You always leave me at a lack of words, make them all a lump in my throat and the eloquent Leo turns into..." She shrugged as she laughed. "Into mute Leo."

Diana offered her a small smile as Leona looked at her once more, going on. "When I'm around you, I'm always speechless and I don't know what to say, because you turn my mind into a whirlwind of different things; sensations, thoughts, feelings, emotions..." She shook her head as if trying to clear it. "Even now, my mind is a labyrinth just like yours was a while ago, perhaps even worse. Still, I try to think about it and what it means and I think that maybe..." She trailed off.

Diana stared at Leona, without uttering a word as she saw the warrior look at her and move forwards until they were only inches apart, the Ra-Horak holding her hands as she gazed into those azure eyes.

"...Maybe this is what being in love is like." Leona finally finished, slowly smiling at Diana. "Diana, I think I'm in love with you." She said, the grin never leaving her face. "And I'm not afraid of it, of saying it to you, confessing my little secret."

Diana laughed, mostly out of nervousness, as she looked away for a second. "You  _think_ you're in love?"

Leona laughed, too. "Yeah. I'm certain of it."

Diana gently laid her forehead on Leona's shoulder, the smile still on her lips. "I'm very happy to hear that."

"Oh, are you, now?" Leona responded, a brow raised in playful question. She felt Diana nod against her shoulder. "And why would that be, if I may ask?"

Diana mumbled her answer against Leona's body, making it impossible for the Ra-Horak to listen.

Leona laughed. "What?"

Diana pulled away, her eyes glassy as she said it out loud. "Because I already  _know_ I love you, Leo."

"You know?"

Diana nodded. "And I have for some time."

Leona beamed at her. "How long?"

Diana frowned a bit as she thought. "I think I've known for quite a long time." She smiled at Leona, blushing, "You crept up on me, so I don't know when I realized it..." She bit her lip. "I do remember wanting to kiss you on the Crowning Ceremony, though."

Leona chuckled. "I have to admit something."

Diana raised a brow. "Hm?"

Leona closed her eyes. "I may or may not have lied when I said the Sun was controlling me." She heard Diana gasp and felt her slightly punching her arm. "Hey!"

Diana was laughing. "You used our deity's name to take advantage of me! That's not fair play!"

"Can you blame me?"

"Leona, it's a sin!"

"Well, your beauty is a sin but you don't see me complaining."

Diana chuckled. "Oh, please." She laid her forehead on Leona's shoulder again, coming down from her laughter high. "I came to terms with my attraction for you some days ago."

Leona's hand moved to Diana's hair, gently stroking it. "Came to terms?" Diana nodded. "What do you mean?"

Diana raised her head, gazing into Leona's eyes. "I wasn't too happy about the fact that I..." She trailed off, still having trouble admitting it. "That I feel attracted to women."

Leona's expression fell. "You didn't... you never...?"

Diana shook her head. "You're the first person I've ever... felt attracted to."

Leona had sadness in her eyes. "Oh, Diana..."

The Solari chuckled. "And of all people in the Temple, not only do I have to fall for another woman, but for the Chosen, nonetheless." She shook her head. "I was so afraid..."

Leona's hand moved to her cheek, her thumb caressing her cheekbone. "Change is scary, so it's okay to be afraid." She tried to comfort her.

Diana looked into her eyes. "How long have you known?"

Leona raised a brow. "That I like girls? All my life." She smiled. "It's rather common among the Ra-Horak."

Diana blushed as she remembered Althea. "Right."

"And in terms of you..." Leona gently planted a kiss on Diana's temple. "I've fallen for you, hard and fast. I knew I loved you when you brought me here for the first time." She blushed, then, as she added, "But I've wanted you ever since laying eyes on you, on my first day here."

Diana was beet red. "Really?"

Leona nodded. "You caught my attention."

A deep chuckle. "Falling asleep on your Welcoming Ceremony must have been ridiculously sexy." Diana said, making Leona laugh heartily.

"Your antics with Helena had me head over heels for you!"

Diana chuckled, then thought of something Leona had said. A sly smile planted itself on her lips. "...you  _knew_ you loved me."

Leona raised a brow. "Hm?"

"You just said you knew you loved me."

Leona looked at Diana, surprised, then chuckled as she turned redder. "Well, I-"

"Some minutes ago you just  _thought_ you loved me."

Leona scratched the back of her head. "Was I fooling anyone?"

Diana laughed, shaking her head. "No."

Then Leona was grazing Diana's nose with her own. "I thought so." She whispered, her lips right next to Diana's.

Diana tried to lean in, but Leona pulled away enough to avoid being kissed. The Solari saw a teasing smile on the warrior's lips, so she tried again, and thus again Leona dodged her attempt.

With a chuckle, an impatient Diana grabbed Leona by her nape and forced her to stay put as she captured her lips with her own, kissing her with laughter bubbling up in her throat, Leona laughing just as much, both followers of the Sun uncaring of their deity's slow disappearance into the horizon.

As twilight took place and the night slowly approached, both girls laid on the ground, talking about their feelings, confessing thoughts and hushed secrets, retelling what they had felt upon discovering what they felt.

Sooner or later, one of them would make the question that both, subconsciously, were avoiding.

It popped into Leona's mind with no previous warning. "Diana," she begun, making the girl, who was laying on her chest, look up at her. Seriousness coated her features. "What do you want to do with this?"

Diana frowned a bit. "What do you mean?"

"I mean us. What are we going to do about us?" Leona asked, concern taking over as she realized the complicated position they both were in. "How will we be together?"

But Diana had already thought about all of that, for it was her biggest fear. "We'll keep it secret." She saw Leona's sad expression and closed her eyes, not able to bear it. "I know, Leo. I'd love to tell you there was other way, but-"

"But there  _is_ another way," Leona breathed out, a small smile on her lips as a fool's hope gripped her heart. "I'm the Chosen of the Sun, I can make them all listen-"

"Not this time, love." Diana said as she shook her head. "It's too dangerous."

"Why would you believe that?"

"Because, while it's true that you are our Chosen and they may listen to you, it's also true that I'm the  _moon-addled_ acolyte, and Eos is only looking for an excuse to terminate me." She looked at Leona then, fear in her azure eyes. "I'm sorry, but I won't go through that. I wouldn't make it out alive and, while I was already accepting of Death for the Rite... Let's say something came up," Diana's hand moved from Leona's chest to her cheek. "Something that makes me want to stay alive for as long as I can."

Leona sighed, her heart aching for the girl who looked into her eyes. "You're right." She finally admitted, sorrow gripping her soul. "We can't let them know."

Diana planted a quick kiss on Leona's lips. "It doesn't mean we can't be together."

Leona smirked, "We'll keep it secret, but never forget that I'm yours," she kissed Diana. "Just like you're mine."

Diana smiled against Leona's mouth. "Never."

The Ra-Horak smiled as she planted another kiss on Diana's lips, slowly letting her affectionate actions grow as she hungrily kissed the other girl, her tongue licking Diana's bottom lip, making her gasp, taking that moment to bite her lip and deepen the kiss, snaking her arms around Diana's waist, her hands feeling the girl's back, muscle by muscle as they roamed up to her shoulders, then down, lower and lower.

Diana broke the kiss as she felt Leona's hands squeeze her backside. "Leo..." she breathed out, making Leona halt immediately.

"Sorry I-"

Diana kissed her. "I don't mind, but I don't want you to do that now."

Leona frowned, confused. "Why?"

The warrior felt like prey as she gazed into Diana's eyes, her pupils as big as the moon and filled with lust as she said, "Because I can't play rough with my wound."

"I promise I'll always be gentle." Leona breathed out, feeling the need to reassure Diana.

But Diana's smile grew, her azure eyes almost shining as she said, her voice low. "But I don't want you to."

Leona stared at Diana, surprised by the unexpected boldness. "Oh." Was all she could breath out as Diana leaned in once more.

The Solari kissed her feverishly, but a harsh movement made her grit her teeth in pain. Leona noticed, as she saw Diana hiss and touch her abdomen, so the warrior gently lifted the both of them up, forcing Diana to a sitting position.

"We should head back, Di."

The girl let out a frustrated sigh. "I kind of ruined it, didn't I?"

"You just made me realize I should be taking care of you," Leona said, a smile on her face as she hugged Diana. "And I'm the Chosen of the Sun, which means that I will  _hug_ you," she kissed one of Diana's cheeks. "And  _protect_ you." She added, kissing the other and making Diana laugh. "If you would so kindly let me."

Diana kissed Leona on the lips. "I would love for you to hug and protect me." She said, laughing a bit at Leona's antics.

"If that's the case, let's go then!" Leona let out as she got up to her feet, swiftly lifting Diana bridal style, the Solari's hands instinctively going around Leona's neck. "I shall escort you home."

Diana laughed at her lover.

Then, she thought about it as a smile grew on her lips.

_My lover._

_Just like I'm hers._

She brought her face up, close to Leona's, and gently kissed her, accidentally making the warrior slow down her pace, if only to have some more seconds with Diana before having to pretend.

_Chosen of the Sun._

_Owner of my heart._


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 19 or, as I like to call it, "it's rated M for a reason!"

"Well, Diana," The Solari medic said as he poked her abdomen gently, having already inspected her injury. "I believe you're as good as new, already!" He exclaimed happily, offering the girl a smile.

Diana covered her belly once more, as the doctor finished the checkup. "So, am I free to do as I please?" She asked, hopeful.

The doctor nodded. "I recommend proper warmup first, but sure, you can return to your normal activities. Stop immediately whatever you're doing if it brings up any pain in or around that area, though." His expression turned serious for a second. "We don't need to backpedal your improvement."

Diana nodded. "Sure." She got up from the chair she had been sitting on as the doctor inspected her. "Thank you very much."

The medic smiled at her. "Anytime."

As she returned the smile, Diana left the infirmary, quickly going to the gardens, where a certain warrior was training her personal guard.

She sat down by the fountain, allowing herself to watch Leona as the Ra-Horak allowed her students to take a breather as she picked up some shields, giving one to each of her apprentices, keeping the last one for herself.

"Okay," Leona said as she grabbed the shield with her left hand. "Today you'll be learning the  _real_ stuff; how to wield a shield!" She said excitedly, a wild grin on her lips. She began pacing back and forth in front of the Solari as they inspected their shields. "Think of it as a fighting armor, for it will protect you, but also allow you to inflict damage on your opponents in a safer way." Leona halted her pacing, taking a defensive stance in front of her Guard. "It must become an extension of you, just like the sword already is. In order for that to happen, you will have to learn how to manage yourselves with just a shield, so leave your swords to a side." She gently ordered them, watching them as they obeyed her command.

But as she waited for her students, she felt eyes on her, so Leona turned to look at her stalker.

She smiled when she saw Diana, loitering by the fountain, a sly smile on her lips.

Leona approached her slowly. "Good morning, Diana."

"Morning blessings, my Chosen."

Leona arched an eyebrow. "My Chosen, huh?" A slow smile grew on her lips. "We're playing like that, now?"

Diana chuckled. "I'm just respecting your position as the Sun's Avatar, my Chosen."

Leona didn't comprehend what Diana was up to, but it didn't bother her much as she slowly approached the girl, getting into her personal space, her voice dropping to a low, warning tone. "Will I have to punish you for disobeying the first order I ever gave you?"

Now it was Diana's turn to arch an eyebrow. "Well, I don't know. Will you?"

"What did I command you to call me when we first talked?"

Diana smirked. "I can't remember!" She said, shrugging as she shook her head.

Leona chuckled. " ** _What's up with you?_** " She asked her in the Old Rakkor, rushing the words out in a whisper, for her Sun Guard was learning the language and some of them already understood enough to comprehend her.

Diana didn't know that, but didn't care much, either.  ** _"Just came from the infirmary with good news, My Chosen._** "

Leona was becoming nervous, but in a good way, for Diana's teasing kept her playful spirits up. "Seriously, you call me that one more time and I-"

"You'll what,  _Commander?_ " Diana asked her, her pupils darting back and forth between Leona and her students, who were ready to go on with their training, shields up, eyes curiously glancing at their leader.

Leona turned and looked at her warriors, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Oh, right, you're ready?" Upon seeing the warriors nod, she tried to shake off her embarrassment. "Great!"

She heard Diana laugh and turned to look at her, retort something clever, but the girl was patting her shoulder. "I'll be with Helena for a while, if you need me. May you all have a good training." Diana said, looking at Leona and then at her warriors, before disappearing swiftly, as she ran towards her best friend.

Leona stared, feeling something was off, out of place, but being unable to pinpoint what it was.

Her eyes grew in size, then, as she realized what was so uncanny; Diana had  _run_ away.

Diana hadn't done anything too physical ever since returning from the Rite of Kor some days ago, running being one of the things she was avoiding. Even when they kissed, away from any kind of prying eyes so as to avoid their secret from being discovered, the Solari would see herself forced to push Leona away when the heat of the moment made them forget about her injury and one of them accidentally inflicted pain on her.

But now, Diana was running, and she was running  _fast._

Leona's lips formed a slow, big, predator's smile as she realized one thing; Diana had finished her recovery.

And her pupils grew in size as lust took over, for she could only think of the sinful things she would do to the girl when she caught her alone.

Diana had gone to her to tell her about it, but decided to mess with her instead, she knew that now.

_You should be punished for your mischief, Diana._

_And I shall be the one punishing you._

"Okay, Sun Guard," Leona said as she thought of how she'd repay Diana, later. "Let us begin."

* * *

"Guess who's back in shape!" Diana shouted as she burst into Helena's room.

"Oh  _no._ " Helena automatically said as she smacked her forehead with her palm, interrupting her current task.

"Oh  _yes."_ Diana responded, a shit eating grin on her face. She skipped her way towards Helena, who was sitting on her bed,  ** _The Eternal Cycle_** on her lap as she was trying to translate some parts of it, continuing the research Diana and her had started before her battle against Armin. Diana sat down next to her. "Found anything useful in there?"

Helena shook her head. "Not really. I mean, there's a lot of information about the Empyrean here; their habits, traditions, etcetera… But nothing we can use, really."

"I see," Diana said, as she frowned, "Sorry I kind of left all of this work on your shoulders."

"I understand, Di." Helena responded, a small sympathetic smile on her lips as she regarded her friend. "I mean, you finally told Leona the truth." She huffed a laugh, then. "Not only that, but you also found out it was  _her_ truth, too." She shrugged. "I find it logical for you to become…  _distracted_ by such facts." She finished, a sly smile on her lips.

Diana blushed as she rubbed a spot on the back of her neck. "Yeah, but still, it doesn't justify my behavior."

"What do you mean?"

"I've kind of been completely absent, only spending time with her. I don't know," She said, frowning and looking at the ground. "Seems unfair to you."

But Helena just laughed, shrugging off her friend's comment. "Diana, you're in  _love_ with that woman." She placed her hand on the girl's back. "It's normal for you to want to spend your time with her."

"But  _all_ of my time? Lena I've barely seen you these days!"

"Why are  _you_ getting angry about it when the pissed one should be  _me?_ " The short girl questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Enjoy life, Diana, stop worrying about stuff that doesn't matter. You kind of deserve it after all the shit you've been through."

Diana released a breath she didn't know she had been holding, actually relieved by her friend's lack of anger towards her lovesick attitude. "I guess you're right."

"I'm  _always_ right."

Diana rolled her eyes. "Sure." She laughed upon feeling Helena smack her arm. "Hey!"

"Now  _that's_ a behavior that bothers me." She glared at Diana, all serious out of a sudden. "Do not disrespect my smart self."

"Smart self?" Diana asked, a smug smile on her lips. "More like smart ass-"

Another smack.

"Lena!"

"Hush,  _gremlin._ Now compensate for this shitty behavior and investigate with me." Helena motioned for Diana to look at the old book.

The taller girl frowned as she remembered something. "Helena, have you found anything regarding forbidden artifacts?"

Helena's expression mimicked Diana's. "Not really, why?"

Diana gazed into Helena's eyes, intensely. "Elder Eos mentioned something that I hadn't thought about until just now." She scooted closer to Helena, her eyes hot on the book as she flipped the pages. "He said my curved blade, which he called a  _khopesh,_ is a forbidden weapon."

"Wait," Helena looked at Diana, " _khopesh?"_

"Yes," Diana said, nodding furiously. "Why?" She asked, but Helena responded by ignoring her question for a second, flipping the pages furiously.

"Somewhere in here I found a word that I couldn't translate…" She halted upon reaching a page she had marked by folding one of its' corners. "Here!" She pointed at a word somewhere in the middle of the page. "I couldn't translate it because I don't know the Old Rakkor alphabet, but perhaps you could read it…"

Diana frowned as she read the word, one which she couldn't understand. With the help of her finger underneath the word, so as to focus better on it and be able to tell each letter apart, she tried to translate it by thinking of the alphabet.

" _K…H…O…"_ She remained quiet then, as she realized Helena had actually bumped into the name of her sword by accident. "Yes." She finally said, looking at Helena once more. "It's… It's my blade."

Helena looked at the books paragraphs. "I've translated a bit of this page, if you're interested, but there's some more important information that we still do not have, which is necessary to really comprehend it."

Diana nodded, letting the girl know she understood. "Tell me about it."

Helena pivoted her body so that she was facing Diana. "Okay, so it all makes much more sense now that I know what this was talking about." She looked at Diana, her gaze intense. "The khopesh is a type of weapon the Empyrean wielded. From what I've understood," She said as she side-eyed the book, "The Empyrean had two, like,  _royal_ guards; one made of their strongest warriors, those who would go to the vanguard and survive to tell the tale."

"What we know as Ra-Horak." Diana said, making Helena nod.

"Yes, while the other was made of insanely stealthy assassins, who could eliminate a target without raising suspicions. Deadlier forces in terms of execution, but weaker in terms of open combat and defensive abilities."

Diana's brows rose, as the girl grew curious, hoping to hear the name of such battalion.

But her hopes of learning were a bit discouraged as Helena sighed. "Unfortunately, just like I didn't find the Ra-Horak here and had to guess they were the same, I couldn't find the name of these assassins."

So Diana's expression fell a bit. "Oh, I see…"

"What I _did_ find, though, is this." Helena said, her tone becoming a big higher due to emotion as she pointed at a paragraph in the book. Diana looked at it and read it out loud.

" _While the warriors weren't trained in one specific weapon, though the majority of them seemed to prefer the Chosen of the Sun's example, always opting to master whichever weapon the Sun's Avatar preferred, the assassins were all trained to dominate the khopesh as their main source of damage, leaving daggers, knives, bows and other alternatives as secondary choices."_ Diana looked at Helena, who was already staring back.

"The khopesh is the assasins' weapon of choice, while any other alternative remained as a secondary option that each assassin could make at their own personal preference." Helena said, letting Diana think about her words.

"But why would Eos forbid the blade, then?" Diana asked, frowning in confusion. "If he does not allow for the khopesh to be wielded, let alone be known, then that means he wants the assassin battalion to be forgotten, too." She reasoned out loud, making Helena nod in agreement. "Why would he want such a thing?"

Helena shook her head. "I'm not entirely sure, but check this out." Helena said as she pointed at another paragraph, making Diana read once more.

" _While such differences meant the Sun's Avatar would always wield a different weapon…"_ Diana hummed as she realized that was the end of it. _"_ You didn't finish translating this." Diana commented, her brow furrowed as her eyes darted to Helena.

Helena shook her head again. "I was too tired." A shrug, "We could finish it now, if you want."

Diana grabbed the Old Rakkor scrolls and got to it, with Helena's help. As minutes passed, they slowly tackled the task at hand, the complicated words in the old language transforming into the common tongue right before their eyes.

" _While such differences meant the Sun's Avatar would always wield a different weapon,"_ Diana repeated, taking it from the beginning in order for the phrase to be complete and thus make sense. " _Though there seems to be an inclination for heavier weaponry, such as sword and shield, like Freyr ages ago, or a double-edged battle-axe, like our current Sun, Edlyn..."_ Diana read out loud, slowly, for she was translating as she read.

Helena squinted at the page as she had been trying to decipher the next phrase, though a thought popped into her clever mind. "Isn't Edlyn a female name?"

Diana nodded. "It is." She looked at Helena. "Seems the Empyreans had both male and female Chosens during their existence."

"Keep reading." Helena told her, leaving such a topic for later.

Diana obeyed. "... _like our current Sun, Edlyn, the Chosen of the..."_ Diana trailed off, her eyes growing in size as she choked on her own words, unbelieving.

Helena frowned. "What?" She looked at the book. " _Moon,"_ She finished for Diana, at first not realizing what she had just said. Then, as she made eye contact with the gaping Solari, her expression turned to one of shocked astonishment, just like Diana's, as she finally understood her own words.

Both of them looked at the book and kept reading in unison. "... _The Chosen of the Moon would always demonstrate an incredible expertise with the khopesh, for the Moon is the quieter of our Goddesses, so she'd always favour the stealthy assassin, while the Sun, louder than anyone else, would always prefer the rampant warrior."_

Slowly, they laid the book between them. Even slower, they looked at each other, those shocked looks still on them.

"Diana..." Helena said, her fast mind making a capricious connection between her best friend, what they had just read and the deity that ruled the night.

"Uh," Diana didn't know what to say, her mind focusing on the wrong bits of information as she asked, "You... you know what this means, right?"

Helena decided to test her friend's deductive powers, though. "What?"

"Eos has been hiding information from us all."

Helena couldn't help herself as she let out an incredulous, "What?" For she had actually hoped Diana would focus on the Moon, as she always seemed to do, as now it seemed so obvious the  _why,_ but she  _had_ to focus on Eos, for once.

She nodded furiously. "I remember something Leona had told me many days ago... that if there's a Chosen of the Sun, there should be a Chosen of the Moon." She shook her head. "I didn't know then, but now..." her brows raised as she made another connection. "This also means that it's true, what you've suggested; that Solari and Lunari had once been one religion." Diana blinked, her mind overloaded with information. "I-"

" _Diana,"_ Helena called as she placed both of her hands on the girl's shoulders. "You are not paying attention to-"

A knock came at the door, making the girls flinch and throw the book to a corner, hoping the intruder wouldn't see it as they opened the door.

Lycia came to view. "Diana! There you are."

"Lycia," Diana let out in a rather squeaky voice as she got up from the bed and looked at her, smiling and trying to pretend nothing was up. "What did you need?"

Lycia frowned, suspicious for a second, but shrugged it off. "Leona has sent me to look for you."

"What for?"

"She needs you for a demonstration." Lycia responded, "She didn't say anything else."

Diana nodded, "Okay, I'll-"

"Oh wait! She did say something else," Lycia said, suddenly remembering Leona's command. "She told me to ask you if you could bring your blade."

Diana frowned, nodding as she let out a long, slow exhale, her mind only able to regard the khopesh as the Chosen of the Moon's preferred weapon. "Okay." She said, looking back at Helena once. "I'll be there in a second." With that, she followed Lycia to her room, grabbing her curved sword and then walking with her colleague towards the gardens, leaving a frustrated Helena behind.

"Diana..." The smart scholar let out in a breath, sighing as she laid on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. "If I'm right..." She huffed a laugh.

_Destiny is a curious thing._

* * *

The Sun Guard seemed to be doing some kind of defensive drill as Diana approached, Lycia guiding her towards them. Everyone was moving their shields in a pushing demeanor while tucking their elbows in, tight against their sides, when Leona, who was simply supervising them, turned to greet them upon feeling their presence.

"Lycia! You found her! Thank you," She said with a smile, caressing the girl's cheek absentmindedly. Her eyes went to Diana, quickly glancing at her frame, at the sword, "Hey, you," she zeroed in on her eyes. "I'll take it you're in top condition again? Is that what you wished to say before?"

Diana nodded, her eyes on the sweat on Leona's brow, "Yes, the doctor told me this morning-"

"Then I guess you will be able to help me, right?" Leona asked, interrupting her explanation. "I'd like to show them some defensive battle stances applied to real life situations."

Diana eyed Leona curiously, not expecting her interruption, but nodded once more, nonetheless. "Fine, I'll just have to warm up first, though." She said as she slowly began to move, her hand instinctively going to her abdomen.

Leona was about to complain and forbid her from doing so, but she caught sight of Diana's hand on her midsection, so she guessed she had no say in the matter as she mentally backpedaled. "Do what you must, I'll go grab a sword."

Diana halted in her movements as Leona walked towards the blades. "I thought you said  _defensive_ battle stances?"

Leona looked at her over her shoulder. "I'll be prioritizing a good defense. It doesn't mean I won't respond to your attacks." She picked up a random sword and tested it on her hand. She smirked as she felt it comfortable, the shield already strapped to her left forearm. She turned and looked at Diana. "You should finish warming up, because this time I'm not holding back."

Diana looked at Leona, astonished, for she couldn't comprehend what was up with the warrior, but said nothing as she finished warming up her body, moving frenetically for some seconds so as to wake up her muscles.

"Ready?" Leona asked her, a brow raised in question as she eyed her up and down.

Diana stretched her back once more, like a black haired cat, her eyes closed as she said, "Yeah, I-"

She felt swift movement and immediately opened her eyes, dodging to her right, for Leona had lunged for her, sword at the ready.

"Ey!" Diana shouted at her lover in confused anger.

"You said you were ready. Have you forgotten the lessons I've taught you, Acolyte?" Leona asked her in an arrogant tone, a smug smile on her lips.

Diana quickly crouched and grabbed her khopesh, immediately getting on guard, her free hand up ahead of her, the weapon behind her body.

Leona offered her a wild, fanged smile, her expression crazy with a hunter's lust. "On guard," She breathed out quickly as she lunged for Diana once more.

The Solari saw her coming, so she took a quick step backwards and brought her khopesh in front of her, deflecting the blow Leona tried to land.

Leona was relentless, though, so she tried again, slashing with her sword, aiming for Diana's neck.

The girl crouched, barely dodging the blade. She skipped backwards, making room between Leona and her.

"Leona, what in the Void?!" She asked her, incredulous that the girl was actually fighting without any kind of restraint.

Leona twirled her sword once, then stuck it on the ground standing in an arrogant, open stance, swinging her shield back and forth. "I told you I wouldn't hold back, Diana. You proved you're capable of protecting yourself, already. Now," She smiled at Diana, a taunting expression on her face as she formed a fist with her free hand and hit her shield with it, twice. "Try and leave a dent, will you?"

Diana huffed and muttered under her breath, "I'll leave  _more_ than a dent, you insolent brat." She slowly began to move towards Leona, readying for an attack.

The Ra-Horak grabbed her sword and stood at the ready, her shield in front of her, her sword aligned with her shoulders, behind her body.

Diana sprinted towards her and moved her khopesh in front of her, preparing a slashing attack, but Leona already saw her using such technique, so she was actually expecting her to use it once more.

So when Diana tried to bring the blade back against Leona, the warrior twirled, giving her back to Diana for a second, so as to meet the Ra-Horak steel with her shield.

The impact made Diana ricochet, giving Leona enough room to finish pivoting, using the momentum of her rotation to bring her left foot up and kick Diana on the abdomen.

The Solari received the impact as she bent over, the air being expulsed from her lungs with the force of the impact.

Leona brought her foot back and ran towards Diana, her sword up, ready to come down.

As Diana saw her coming, she got her blade ready to meet Leona's sword, but was taken by surprise as the warrior, unexpectedly, bashed her on the head with her shield.

Diana groaned as she staggered back, shaking her head so as to clear her vision, blurry from the sheer strength of the impact.

Leona let out a battle cry as she swung her sword towards Diana, but the girl had recovered enough to roll away, to Leona's left.

The Ra-Horak braced herself behind her shield, ready to be attacked by Diana, but she didn't expect the girl to remain low, near the ground, and pivot on her foot, using the other to sweep the ground, her blade already behind Leona.

As her foot met Leona's shins, her blade came forwards, making the soldier fall on her face.

Leona brought her shield up in front of her and followed the momentum of her fall with her body, rolling over her shield and ending up on her feet again, turning quickly so as not to give her back to Diana, her eyes on the raven haired girl as she also stood up, already sprinting towards Leona.

Leona got her shield ready in front of her, preparing to bash Diana when she reached her.

Diana didn't let it show on her face how she had already predicted Leona's strategy.

So when She finally reached Leona, she fainted an attack, then dropped to the ground, allowing herself to dodge Leona's shield attack, her speed making her slide right underneath Leona, her lightness of feet letting her stand up as soon as she reached Leona's back.

With a quick twirl so as to give her blow strength and depth, Diana tried to slash Leona's back with her blade, the thrill of the battle making her forget, for a second, that they weren't supposed to  _kill_ each other.

As she realized what she was about to do, already being too late for her to stop, Leona quickly turned in her khopesh's direction, the blow landing way earlier than expected, as it was met midway by Leona's shield.

Diana's curved blade had embedded itself on Leona's shield, making it a bit hard for the Solari to pull it away.

As Leona was getting ready to use such information to her advantage, Diana thought faster and began pushing forwards, getting a good grip of her blade with both hands before sliding it downwards, leaving a long, deep cut on the shield as she released her blade. The release of her blade left her with the right side of her body aback, so she used the extra space to gain momentum as she brought her right leg up and kicked Leona on the side, on an opening provoked by her shield being in front of her instead of to her side.

Leona grunted as she felt the kick on her midsection, but quickly reacted as she brought her elbow close to her body, tightly catching Diana's foot between her torso and her arm.

As Diana attempted to pull her leg away, Leona let go of her sword as she turned to her left, pulling Diana's leg with her, making her overextend.

When Diana was almost over her right side, Leona brought her free hand up, using it to push Diana's body down as she forced the girl to the ground.

Diana accidentally let go of her blade as Leona landed on top of her, quickly unstrapping her shield, taking the battle to another level as she brought her fists up, ready to strike Diana.

But the other girl took advantage of the upright position Leona was in, so brought her feet up in the air and, as she brought them down to the ground again, she pushed upwards with her hips, making Leona bounce off of her, quickly standing up as Leona tried to do the same.

Leona glared at Diana, "Class dismissed," She breathed out to her Sun Guard as she lunged for Diana, the Solari sidestepping her just in time.

Leona turned and grabbed Diana from her robes, bringing her face close to hers. Diana got ready to receive an impact, but what she received instead, she didn't expect, as she heard Leona mutter, " ** _Bedroom,_** " Before releasing her with a push towards the Halls.

Diana hit the wall with her back, her mind catching up with what Leona had whispered, her body responding by making the heat of battle turn into something else as she saw Leona, all sweaty from their fighting, prowl towards her like a hungry predator, looking at her as if she were the finest prey out there.

Leona offered her a smirk. " ** _We've got to act, though._** " She said in a breath, always careful enough so as not to be heard. " ** _Think fast._** " She roared as she lunged for Diana.

Diana rolled to a side, letting Leona meet the wall with her hands. As the battle moved through the Halls, the girls' attacks became less precise, their hands beginning to remain longer on the other as they realized they had no spectators and were, finally, alone.

Diana pushed Leona to a wall, then, kissing her furiously, biting down hard on Leona's bottom lip. Leona moaned into the kiss, the sound making Diana let out a content hum between her ragged breaths as her hands roamed all over Leona's body, her nails scratching at the annoying fabric of the Chosen's robes.

The Ra-Horak couldn't take it any longer as she flipped their positions, pressing Diana against the wall with her own body, her right leg strategically placed between Diana's so as to keep her still while she kissed her neck, a hot, wet trail from the girl's lips to her collarbone, then up again to her earlobe as she took it in her mouth and toyed with it, making Diana squirm, accidentally pushing against Leona's leg, her breath catching on her throat as she felt the pressure, making Leona smirk.

When Diana froze in place once more, Leona took advantage of her stillness, letting her hands go to the back of Diana's thighs, using her strength to lift her up.

Diana's legs immediately went around Leona's waist so as to support herself, though Leona's strong hands were on the Solari's thighs, still holding her in place as they kissed, the warrior too busy with the heat and pressure, too caught up in the smaller girl's erratic breathing to care for anything else but being the Solari's undoing.

Luckily for her, though, Diana was always too aware of her surroundings, so the girl felt someone approaching, their footsteps being heavy enough that she could hear them.

So, without any kind of warning nor explanation, for the intruders were dangerously close, Diana pulled away from Leona and punched her in the face, a right hook landing perfectly on its' mark; Leona's left cheekbone.

The warrior, despite her face ricocheting to the opposite side to which the intruders were appearing from, seemed to comprehend what was going on despite the lack of explanation for such a reaction, so she reacted accordingly, her right hand going to Diana's neck as she applied enough pressure on her grip so as to cut the Solari's breathing.

When the intruders, three scholars, finally got a good view of what was going on, Diana managed to get a hold of Leona's thumb and bent it towards the warrior's wrist, making her bellow in agony as she used her other hand to punch Diana, successfully hitting the girl, but not with enough strength to make her fall, for the Solari's legs, still wrapped around Leona's midsection, were now clenched stronger, so that she could still cling to the other warrior as they fought.

Diana gave Leona a head-butt, making her look towards the ceiling, taking advantage of her distraction to bite her on the shoulder,  _hard._

Leona shouted again in what seemed to the scholars as pain, though Diana knew perfectly it was  _pleasure._

They still felt the acolytes' eyes on them, so both halted their actions and looked at them, who were staring in quiet confusion and shock, unsure of how to proceed, for an acolyte was harming their Chosen.

" _It's training!"_ Both of them shouted in unison, resuming their fighting after the quick explanation, succeeding at scaring the scholars off, making them flee the scene.

Once they were gone, Diana grabbed Leona by the throat, forcing the warrior to look at her as she crashed her lips against hers once more. Leona answered with ardor, desperate for the warmth Diana's body offered, clinging to it like a rabid animal.

Before they could be interrupted once more, Leona moved the remaining steps towards her door, pushing it open with her foot and entering, kicking it closed before rampaging towards the bed.

Diana's hands fumbled with Leona's robes, desperately clawing at them, trying to get them off, but failing miserably, for Leona wasn't helping her, as her hands remained on Diana's legs.

But as Leona's rampage made her shins bump into the bed, both girls fell on it, Diana's back hitting the mattress as Leona fell on top of her.

The warrior didn't waste any time, quickly placing her thigh against Diana's core, chuckling as she felt the fabric of Diana's damp undergarments against her thigh.

Diana didn't want her to laugh, though, as she felt Leona's nails scrap against her back. At some point, it seemed, the warrior had managed to slide her hands underneath her robe.

Not that she minded, though.

So Diana responded by pressing her tongue against her neck, feeling the Ra-Horak's pulse quicken by the second as she licked that sweet spot right underneath her jaw. She bit down on the sensitive skin, making Leona tilt her head back, a loud moan escaping her throat.

Diana pushed Leona to an upright position, using the sudden, free space between them to sit up, too, her lips quickly connecting with Leona's jaw once more.

"Don't be that loud," She whispered between ragged breaths and hungry kisses, "Or else we're dead."

"Diana…" Leona couldn't think, form one rational thought, as the other girl kept kissing her skin, her hands trailing her body, possessing it, the touch surprisingly assertive for someone who Leona was certain had no experience when it came to sex.

Still, Diana didn't seem to mind her lack of knowledge as she managed to strip Leona from her robe, leaving her only in her undergarments. It was only then that the Ra-Horak realized it would only be fitting for the clever girl to be so eager to learn.

So learn she would, as Leona decided she was willing to teach her.

She grabbed Diana's wrists, forcing her back against the mattress, one of her hands holding Diana's arms over her head, pinning her down to the bed, the other ripping the robes apart, uncaring for them and desperate for the flesh they hid away.

She stared into Diana's eyes as her free hand roamed all over her body, her fingers tracing invisible patterns over the Solari's skin, beginning on her neck, slowly moving over her chest, feeling it rise and fall rapidly with the girl's breathing, her back arching upon feeling that ghost touch over her breasts.

But Leona's hand kept moving, going lower, over her abdomen. She broke eye contact as Diana closed her eyes, a sigh escaping her lips, allowing the warrior to glance at the scar on her right side.

Leona glared at Diana's midsection, at the thin, paler line on her side, allowing her fingers to trace it gently.

She looked up once more, into Diana's eyes, to find the Solari staring right back at her.

A small smile was offered. "I believe I told you not to be gentle."

Leona chuckled, leaning forwards to kiss Diana. "I don't want to be that tough on you, either." She mumbled against her mouth, closing her eyes, Diana following her example, never letting her lips drift away from the warrior's.

"What are you waiting for, anyway?" Diana asked her, echoing what Leona had asked her so many days ago, pretending to be their Goddess.

Upon hearing her, Leona pulled away, opening her eyes and staring into Diana's as she pressed her leg against the raven haired girl's crotch, her hand's touch becoming rougher and stronger as her fingertips were slowly dragged over her inner thighs.

But then an even better idea came to mind, the lustful thought provoked by Diana's mewling and squirming.

So Leona released Diana, but moved until she was completely on top of her, straddling the smaller girl.

Diana tried to sit up to look at her, confusion making her frown, but Leona pushed her back down again, not allowing her to move, her authoritative glare making Diana stay put.

Slowly, Leona brought her body down, pressing herself against Diana. She kissed the Solari on the lips, then allowed herself to drift away, kissing her jaw, then her neck, forming a wet trail on the girl's skin.

She reached Diana's breasts and, with just a look at Diana's face in order to confirm whether or not she was allowed to, she took off the bandages that served as support, a small smirk forming on her lips as she looked at Diana's chest, already thinking of what to do.

She moved her mouth towards one of Diana's breasts, her hand going to the other as she parted her lips and allowed her breath to ghost over her nipple, while her thumb already played with the other, toying with it and circling it.

Diana's breathing turned loud as she panted, Leona's breath over her chest having being replaced by the girl's lips as she dragged them over her nipple, teasing her to no end.

"Leona," Came the warning tone from Diana's voice, husky with lust.

So the warrior obliged, letting her tongue imitate what her thumb was already doing.

The heat of Leona's mouth was enough to make Diana squirm, a moan escaping her throat as she tried to thrash around, but the strong Ra-Horak was keeping her in line, her body making it impossible for Diana to move much.

She continued her licking, enjoying the pleasing pain of the torture she was making Diana undergo. When she felt Diana relaxing, though, she decided to take it up a notch as she replaced her tongue with her teeth, biting down gently and even sucking on it.

The moan Diana released was like music for Leona's ears as she kept playing, the mere realization that Diana liked it rough making her wet already, but that was something for later. Now, all that she cared about was Diana and offering her the pleasure she had been missing on.

So Leona released Diana's breasts, which didn't seem to sit well with the Solari as she sat up abruptly, glaring at Leona.

"Hey," The raven haired girl began to protest, "What was that for-"

But she couldn't finish the sentence as Leona was pushing her down again, licking and biting her way lower and lower.

She reached that damned scar and a stinging pain stabbed her heart, a hazy fury clouding her mind. She couldn't forgive herself for allowing her lover to be put in such danger, to be hurt in such a way.

As gently as it was humanly possible, Leona placed a kiss on that scar, letting her forehead rest against it for a second, "I'm sorry, love." It escaped her lips without her permission, unaware that Diana had come down from her lustful high just to comfort her.

The Solari run her fingers through Leona's mane, making her lover look up at her. A smile was etched on her face, "Having the chance of loving you makes the pain worthwhile."

Leona quickly moved towards Diana, planting a kiss on her soft lips. "I'm not good with words," She murmured, as if Diana didn't know that already. A smile formed on her lips. "So let me praise you in other ways."

Before Diana could process her words, Leona returned to her previous position, her hands on Diana's hips, her thumbs toying with the girl's last piece of clothing as she gazed into Diana's eyes, waiting for any kind of rejection or encouragement.

A blushing girl was all she saw, but there was no trace of fear, regret, nor anything that could make her think twice about it, so Leona smirked, never breaking eye contact as her thumbs hooked Diana's undergarments and slowly slid them down her legs.

She allowed herself to glance downwards only once before looking into Diana's eyes again, analyzing every move, every reaction the girl could have.

Diana was growing uncomfortable, or perhaps even impatient, for she seemed to shrink back a bit, uncertainty making her frown down at the warrior. "What are you…"

She trailed off when she saw Leona lick her lips.

The Ra-Horak then jumped off from the bed, landing on the ground and immediately kneeling as she pulled Diana's legs towards her, placing her head between her thighs, letting them rest on her shoulders as she wrapped her arms around the girl's body, her hands gripping her backside with force, squeezing the flesh.

She looked up at Diana as she slowly licked her up just once, testing the girl's reaction to her behavior.

Diana couldn't look away as she moaned in synchrony with Leona's tongue, the new, unexperienced sensations making her mind go blank as she could only focus on Leona and what she was doing to her, the rest of the world becoming nothing around them as she lacked the mental clarity to see past Leona, the background transforming into an idle blur.

Leona licked the arousal off Diana, feeling her eyes close on their own accord as she relished on the sounds Diana was making, her mewling, panting, squirming bringing Leona into a state of ecstasy she had never experienced before.

She thought of Diana as the Goddess between the two of them, leaving her in the position of a simple adorer, intent on giving her deity the worship she deserved.

She pressed her tongue flat against her entrance, slowly dragging it up until letting the tip of her tongue flick Diana's clit.

She opened her eyes when she felt Diana's hands on her hair, gripping it like a lifeline. The Solari tugged aggressively, forcing her worshipper to look up at her.

"Fucking tease," She breathed out, a grin on her lips. "Are you done taking your sweet time?"

Leona chuckled, her breath making Diana flinch unconsciously. Still, she made no move to continue, so she obliged her lover to control her as Diana forced her head against her core.

But the Ra-Horak was eager to please, so she didn't fight back as she slowly began licking her up again, picking up the pace only a bit, for she wanted to savor each moment, each sound she earned from Diana, as she gripped her rear harder, feeling the girl's hands on her hair grow restless as she scratched her scalp, the whole situation making the auburn haired girl moan, too.

She thought of something else that might improve the situation and decided to act on it as she moved her right hand from Diana's backside to her entrance, slowly introducing one finger as she licked her clit, looking up at her to see how she'd react.

When Diana released a hungrier, louder moan, Leona knew she was doing all of the right things.

She couldn't fight herself anymore, couldn't keep her pace slow and controlled as it all slowly became too much for her, her desire to make Diana come undone being stronger than her twisted intentions of teasing the girl to no end, transforming the pleasure into a frustrating torture.

So, as she lost her wits, she picked up the pace, thrusting harder and licking faster, feeling as Diana began to move with her actions, thrusting in time with her finger, with her tongue. She felt Diana shaking with need, slowly reaching that edge where she wanted to corner her.

Allowing her rhythm to ease her lover into it, she dexterously introduced a second finger, earning a sinful cry from Diana, who was riding over the waves of pleasure with each thrust of her hips, as she arched her back and threw her head back.

Leona felt her clenching tight around her fingers but, knowing it was still not enough, she wrapped her lips around Diana's clit and sucked hard.

She didn't stop as she felt Diana coming, hearing her cry out in ecstasy, her legs wrapping around Leona's head with force, spasms making her muscles move erratically as Leona slowly eased her back into relaxing, letting her ministrations on the girl die out as she felt it was now too much for Diana's body to handle.

She stood up, climbing the bed and straddling Diana once more, kissing her, a moan being ripped from her throat as she felt Diana wrap her arms around her neck, the Solari deepening the kiss, her tongue entering Leona's mouth as she tasted herself off of her lover's mouth, grinning as she heard the Ra-Horak's helpless cry.

She bit Leona's bottom lip, "What's the matter?" She smirked, taunting the warrior.

Leona had frozen in place, but chuckled as the ice melted away. "You're the matter."

Diana smiled and kissed her again, this time slower as she savored the moment her hands on each of Leona's cheeks.

As the kiss went on, the raven haired girl grew hungrier for her lover, her kiss more passionate, so she flipped them over, forcing Leona's back to hit the mattress as she took her rightful position on top of her, straddling the girl, not once letting go as she began to undress the girl.

Leona laughed as she helped her in her task, getting naked in a matter of minutes, but as she tried to sit up, the desire to help Diana and guide her through her body driving her, the girl forced her back down violently.

"No," She said, her voice grave and authoritative. She approached Leona's lips with a sly smile as she let out, "My turn."

Leona gulped as she kissed her, "Okay," She breathed out, letting her know she was willing to surrender control.

So Diana offered her a smirk before kissing her again, lust driving her as she licked and bit, her left arm keeping her up, on top of Leona, her right hand exploring the warrior's toned body.

She pressed her body against Leona's, her mouth on that spot right underneath her ear, a smile plastered on her face while she let her teeth nibble on the sensitive skin of her neck, her hand already on her abdomen as she placed her leg between Leona's, feeling the warrior's hands on her back as they moved, touching and scratching.

Her hand had almost reached its' destination and Diana felt Leona take a sharp breath as her fingers explored, her index tracing the union between her hip and her thigh, pressing more forcefully as she approached her groin, but never reaching where Leona wanted her. She was panting heavily, though Diana knew she was doing so just to avoid cussing, for she hadn't began playing yet.

So, as a reward for her good behavior, Diana slowly moved her hand towards Leona's sex, letting her fingers moving between her folds with care, as the Solari explored, her tortuous curiosity for Leona's reactions, the consequences her touch would have on the other, overpowering her desire to please the warrior.

Leona was moaning already, her hands reminding Diana of claws as she pressed forcefully, squeezing Diana's back, the tip of each finger embedding itself onto her skin. She felt the warrior turn her head towards her and plant several slow, sloppy kisses on her neck, fighting her own moans so as to be able to press her lips against the Solari's skin.

Diana smiled as she felt it, deciding to reward Leona once more as she moved her fingers towards Leona's clit, gently circling it. She heard Leona's moaning turn louder, taking it as the perfect cue to apply more pressure, slowly letting her touch become stronger, until she was using all of her strength.

She frowned as she felt something rather strange; she hadn't noticed before, but her back was uncannily warm, something that seemed to have happened out of nowhere. Subtly, so as not to alert Leona, she pulled her head away from the warrior's neck, moving towards her face, so that she could check on her, see if she had felt that strange warmth, too. Leona had her eyes closed, but opened them as she felt Diana's shifting.

And it was then when Diana understood where the heat had come from, a small chuckle escaping her lips, for Leona's eyes were glowing, her power slipping out as she lost control.

Leona huffed a laugh. "Sorry," She panted, trying to keep her hands away from Diana.

But the Solari pressed herself harder against Leona, using her leg to push between her legs, making the Ra-Horak halt in her movements and let out a loud, deep moan. "I don't mind it at all." She let out, kissing Leona on the lips, then moving towards her ear. "I can handle some heat." She murmured, a smile on her lips as she took her earlobe between her teeth, nibbling on it as she continued rubbing circles on her clit, keeping up the new rhythm created with the periodical stroke of her thigh.

She heard Leona's moaning turn louder by the second and she realized the warrior was mumbling something, repeating it nonstop.

"Diana," Was all Leona could let out, the name of the other girl falling from her lips like a mantra as she kept calling her, for her name was all she could say, the woman being all she could think of.

The whole situation kept Diana turned on, for she found the sound of her name too good, too beautiful, too sinfully attractive, as it was said with that tone, under those circumstances, by no one else but Leona.

So she decided she'd stop teasing her lover as she moved towards her entrance, painfully slowly sliding one finger in, staring at Leona's expression as she saw her cry out in pleasure, her eyes closing on their own accord.

" _Diana,"_ She said the name louder, with more emphasis, letting the Solari know she had done something right, so Diana began thrusting, picking up the pace as she felt Leona rock her hips in rhythm with her thrusts.

As she grew faster, she slid another finger in, pushing as deep as possible, even helping herself with her thigh as she pressed with her leg, too, provoking some occasional friction between her thigh and Leona's clit, which helped her cause.

She felt Leona clench tight around her fingers, the knowledge making her smirk as she placed her lips on Leona's pulse point.

Knowing her lover was almost there, balancing herself on the edge, she withdrew her fingers almost completely, before plunging them in deep to the knuckle, her leg applying extra pressure as she sunk her teeth on Leona's neck, taking the skin into her mouth and sucking on it as she heard her let out a cry of pure ecstasy.

Imitating what Leona had done before, Diana slowed her pace down periodically, letting Leona gently come down from her high, until they were both on the same terms.

She laughed when she heard Leona sigh. "I'll guess you've liked it."

"Liked it?" Leona questioned, huffing a laugh. "I swear to the Sun, you'll be the death of me."

Diana positioned herself on top of Leona, propping herself up with her forearms so as to look at her in the eyes, a smile on both of their faces. "I'd rather be your life, please and thank you."

Leona chuckled. "That you are, already."

Diana placed a kiss on Leona's lips, then looked out through the window, seeing the Sun still in the sky, though closer to the horizon. "It's the evening, already."

Leona run her fingers through raven hair, making Diana lean into the touch, a content sigh escaping through her nostrils. "Guess we've spent too much time in here." A smirk placed itself on her lips. "Wonder what the rest may be doing."

Diana's relaxed expression turned to one of surprise as she remembered Helena and their investigations. "Oh, dear."

"What is it?"

She offered Leona an apologetical look. "It's Helena, we were doing this task together and I've kind of… abandoned her."

Leona chuckled. "You can go with her in a minute, let me keep you busy for a little bit longer." She murmured, kissing her gently.

Diana grew distracted once more. "I guess she wouldn't mind waiting for me a few more minutes, right?"

"Work can wait." Was all the warrior said before getting a hold of Diana's body once more, refusing to let her rest.

But the defiant smile on Diana's lips suggested that, perhaps, she didn't want no recess.

She didn't need it. After all, hadn't it been Helena who told her to savor each moment she had? That life was meant to be lived and enjoyed?

She'd do just that. Even if she knew it was risky, even if she didn't know what the future had in store for her.

For life was far too short, and she had lived for far too long, already.

So she closed her eyes and allowed Leona to take control.

She'd regain it later, anyway.


	20. Chapter 20

She slowly opened her eyes, stretching after waking up from a pleasant, restful sleep. For a second, the warm feeling of another body pressed to her back confused her to no end, but she couldn't help the smile that formed on her face as she felt that body move, her lover coming up to her face to kiss her.

"Hello, you." Leona mumbled, a grin on her lips as she placed a chaste kiss on Diana's mouth, her strong arms squeezing the Solari tight against herself.

Diana returned the kiss. "Hello, you." She echoed, her eyes focusing on Leona's face. Her pupils darted towards a spot on her cheek and she chuckled.

Leona raised a brow. "What's so funny?"

Diana tried to fight the grin off of her face. "I think I may have exaggerated with the strength of my punch when we were in the halls."

Leona raised her brows in surprise as one of her hands instinctively went to her cheekbone, touching the purple bruise forming there. She flinched and hissed as she touched it, the pressure hurting her. "Diana!" She scolded her with a smile, playfully glaring at the Solari, who was now laughing.

"I'm  _so_ sorry."

Leona's playful glare turned into a smug look as she eyed something on Diana's neck. "Well, I should say the same thing, I guess." Upon seeing the questioning look Diana was giving her, Leona touched her own neck as she looked at Diana's, "You have something over there."

Diana blushed as she touched her neck, gasping at Leona. "How dare you leave a bruise on me!"

"No, not a bruise," Leona retorted, that shit eating grin in place as she added, "A  _hickey._ "

Diana groaned. "You'll have us both discovered." She said, but smiled when she felt Leona laugh, the sound making her chest vibrate. The warrior kissed the spot on her neck.

"It happened fighting, Di." She moved her body from behind Diana's until she was above her, gently forcing the Solari on her back as she laid on top of her. "It happened fighting."

"Sure," Diana said, shrugging off the matter. She frowned when she realized she didn't know how long she had been in there, with the warrior. "Leo, what time is it?"

She thought about it for a second, "Something past midnight." Leona's head lolled to a side as she saw Diana's eyes go wide. "Why?"

"I should have gone back to Helena, I can't believe-"

"Hey," Leona gently cut her off, a small smile on her face. "I'm sure she'd understand."

But Diana looked at her with a bit of sadness and panic tainting her features, shaking her head. "But I, how can I be a good friend if-"

" _Diana,"_ Leona squeezed her so as to emphasize her words. "Relax."

She closed her eyes. "You don't understand, Leo…"

"Trust me, I do."

Diana cracked one eye open. "You do?"

She saw Leona nod vigorously, "She's the most important person in your life." Before Diana could say something, she eyed her knowingly. "Don't even try to deny it and say something stupid like I'm the one; I know how it actually is." She grinned. "And I'm good with it. I can see why she's so special to you." Her hand moved towards Diana's cheek. "If she's the kind of friend you say she is, and I believe she actually lives up to her reputation, then I'm certain she doesn't mind your," A slow, big smile formed on her face. " _Mysterious_ disappearance."

Diana sighed. "I hope you're right. I mean, she hasn't shown any anger at my attitude, but this is all so new to me…" She frowned, "I don't want to mess it up with you, but I don't want to mess it up with her, either."

Leona kissed her, the silly worry of Diana's making her find the Solari cute. "You won't mess it up with either of us, trust me."

Diana smiled at Leona, then chuckled as a thought hit her. "Still, she's going to kill me for leaving all of our work on her hands."

Leona chuckled, too. "Were you two assigned the same task, again?" Upon seeing Diana nod, she added, "Seems even the Elders know you two are unseparable."

Diana shrugged. "And seems they fail to notice how it's usually Helena the one who ends up doing the whole thing by herself."

Leona let out a laugh. "That, too." She said, but then her expression fell as she remembered something. "Talking about work… I'll have to leave the Temple in two days."

Diana frowned. "I heard something about Demacia, right?" Leona nodded. "What are you going there for?"

"Diplomacy." She offered as an introduction, letting herself fall on her back, next to Diana, sighing while she did so. "You've heard about the Noxian invasion on Ionia, right?"

"Yeah, I've heard it was a massacre." The Solari said as her eyes scanned Leona's expression, her features forming a sad frown.

She nodded, her eyes unfocused, her mind elsewhere. "The Noxians turned the country into a slaughterhouse. Ionia was capable of kicking them out in the end, but the country was devastated by the blow."

"But what does it have to do with Demacia?"

Leona's pupils finally concentrated on Diana's eyes. "The Elders informed me that Demacia wants to bring justice to Noxus, so they're looking for strong allies to counter the empire's forces, meanwhile, Khait confirmed my suspicions; they just want the Rakkor to join into their perfect excuse to get involved in the fight, so that they make sure they end up being on the victorious side."

Diana frowned, propping herself up on one forearm, positioning herself halfway on top of Leona. "Khait? As in Commander Khait?"

Leona nodded. "Demacia went to him in search for the Ra-Horak's aid, but Khait responded, and I quote:  _The sacred warriors of the Rakkor will only follow their rightful leader to battle, so ask the Chosen of the Sun if she wants to fight_."

Diana regarded her with a knowing look. "Sacred warriors, hm?"

"Ra-Horak were born to serve the Sun's Chosen. Without one, they had become a somewhat independent entity, but since now the Sun has chosen her Avatar, I can only guess that Khait decided to go back to their roots."

Diana raised a brow, a smirk on her lips and no comment on her mouth about the fact that Leona hadn't considered herself a Ra-Horak, excluding herself from them in her words. "Or perhaps he just wants you to finally gain the authority you're supposed to have, to be in the right place at the right time."

Leona chuckled. "That, too." She caressed Diana's cheek, then sighed. "So basically I'm stuck in a trip to Demacia that I don't want to make, all because those self-righteous pricks want to make justice by their own hand but are too coward to dare do it without any kind of extra help."

"There's one thing I don't get, though," Diana said while she accommodated herself on top of Leona, slowly letting her weight rest on top of Leona's body.

The warrior naturally wrapped her arms around her body, squeezing her against herself. "Which is?"

Diana smirked as she felt Leona's hands on her body, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on her back. "If Demacia wants  _justice,"_ She said, the tone she used on the last word making it clear she wasn't buying into that tale, either. "To come to Noxus as a consequence of their wrongdoings to Ionia, wouldn't Ionia itself be the more correct, more natural ally?"

Leona nodded as she made a face, like in agreement with her. "I thought so, too. We all thought so, but Ionia refused to get involved."

"Why?"

Leona shrugged a bit. "It's a complicated matter; on one hand, you've got the fact that their traditions basically establish balance and peace over anything else, revenge and justice included. On the other, you've got a whole country's people angry-" She cut herself off, a frown on her face. "No, not angry.  _Furious."_ She corrected her own words. "You've got a whole country's people furious at Noxus. Normally, such emotion would feed some kind of desire for retribution to come to Noxus, you know? In this case, though, things are different."

Diana frowned as she tried to follow Leona's train of thought. "How so?"

"That anger is feeding  _fear_ instead _._ Sure, they're pissed at Noxus, but because the Noxians marched in on their country and all over them with little to no problem. Knowing this makes them all afraid as Hell. They don't want to face the chance of undergoing such luck again."

Diana's brows raised as she thought about it, her head moving in a nod as she considered the Ionian decision to stand down like the sound, most obvious choice to make. "Sounds logical, if you ask me. I think I would react the same way."

"Trust me, love, even  _I_ would act the same way if it's Noxus the enemy we're talking about." Leona retorted, a grim look on her face as she thought of the atrocities she had heard Ionia had to go through during the Noxian occupation.

"So… You'll go to Demacia to discuss a possible alliance, then?" Diana questioned, curious about Leona's future trip.

The warrior hummed an affirmative sound, her eyes unfocused as she gazed off into the distance, mindlessly continuing her gentle ministrations on Diana's back. "I do not approve of Demacia's stupid desire for war, but I do agree with them in terms of Noxus and how they should see justice. Such monstrosities should be punished, one way or another." She scowled. "I'm not big on violence, you already know that, but I believe that  _an eye for an eye_ is a good rule of thumb for most cases like this one."

Diana let out a worried sound, her frown turning into one of worry. "Are you sure about this, Leo? Getting involved in someone else's war, a war of vengeance and excuses, no matter how righteous your motives are… It may not be the best idea."

Leona closed her eyes. "Diana, have you ever heard of a city called  _Zaun_?"

She thought about that name for a while, but it rang no bell. "No, not really."

"How about  _Piltover?"_

He reyes grew in size a bit as she recognized that one. "Yes, I've heard about Piltover."

"And what did you hear about it?"

"Well," Diana begun as she thought about what she knew regarding that city, letting her brain conjure Piltover into her mind's eye, letting her visualize it. "I've heard it's the city of innovation. The people in there, those who are smart enough, they don't spend their lives between scrolls and books, but between metal and fire, creating artifacts,  _machinery,_ they call it."

A smile of wonder formed on Diana's face as she went on, imagining her own words as she travelled to that city so far away, without ever leaving Leona's bed. "Human creations that surpass what's possible or imaginable, creatures made of lead and metal with a life of their own, granted by their creators. No magic involved, just pure, raw mental power. Intelligence."

She snapped out of it before seeing herself there, before seeing Helena or even Leona there with her, too, for it was a ridiculous idea. Her eyes went back to the warrior's, who was watching her with a tiny smirk of her own. "Why you ask?"

"I'll take it you  _like_ the mere idea of Piltover?" Leona asked back before even answering Diana's own inquiry.

The Solari blushed a bit. "You could say so."

"Then you'll hate Zaun, Di." Leona's expression turned somber. "While Piltover's the city of progress, Zaun's its' reflection in a dark mirror; its' other side, its' other, ugly face. You see, not everything is as beautiful and perfect in Piltover. There are some creations that don't help people; they  _harm_ people. Those creations are failures in Piltover, but are wonders in Zaun."

Diana couldn't comprehend it. "I… I don't understand."

"Think of Piltover and Zaun as the S-"

**_Don't you even dare._ **

Leona closed her mouth and her eyes as she obeyed the deity in her head, realizing somewhat late that, perhaps, comparing Zaun and Piltover to the Solari and the Lunari wasn't a good idea, especially if the comparison was in front of no other but Diana.

So, before the girl could really notice and think about Leona's failed attempt, she tried once more. "Zaun and Piltover are the two sides of a same coin. Piltover aims for greatness, Zaun doesn't care about it as much as it cares about profit. Piltover has its' rules; all those things that could be considered morally wrong do not make it. Zaun, on the other hand, has no rules whatsoever; anything goes as long as it benefits you."

Diana's expression fell, becoming a mirror of Leona's. "So, while Piltover's progress helps people…"

"…Zaun's progress does the contrary." Leona finished for her.

"That's horrible… But what does it have to do with anything?"

"Noxus' attack on Ionia counted with the support of the city of Zaun." She saw Diana's expression of horror, but went on, nonetheless, "They aided their awful invasion with a lot of their inventions, one of them being something called the  _biochemical terror,_ an artifact that explodes in a cloud of poisonous smoke created by some crazy  _doctor."_ She said, making it obvious she couldn't believe people like that were called  _doctors,_ "Weaponry like that was used against Ionia."

An angry scowl was on her face as she continued, "Now, I know fighting Noxus and Zaun may not be the best idea, but I refuse to stand idle while people like  _that_ get away with it, with murdering innocent people just because of what? Money? Power?  _Fun?"_ She looked away, unable to contain her anger. "I will  _not_ let that happen. I was not chosen by the Sun because of cowardice; I was chosen because I have mercy in my heart and sense in my mind. Now, I've got the power to do with it something that  _matters,_ so I'll do just that." Her distant gaze was casted downwards. "Sorry if this doesn't please you, Di, but I can't go against my own nature."

She felt a bit hurt by Leona's comment about cowardice, for she felt that the warrior had called her a coward by default, but chose to say nothing about it. "I'm not saying that you should go against your nature, if it calls for you to stand up and protect others." Her hand moved towards Leona's face, gently holding her by the jaw and turning her face, making her look into her eyes. "And there's no reason why you should apologize to me, or even aim to please me; it's who you are and I fell in love with you, Leona, not with what you could have been." She finished, a small smile on her lips as she leaned in and kissed her lover, slowly.

As she pulled away, she caught Leona smirking. It made her feel powerful, in control, for she could turn her frown into a smile in just a matter of seconds. "I just don't want you to get hurt and, if you do get involved, knowing you, the Ra-Horak, and all the other factors that come into play, I know you will end up in the vanguard, rallying our forces against the Hand of Noxus' personal battalion, the Crimson Elite, not to mention the addition of those  _biochemical terrors..."_

"Actually," Leona cut off her train of thought, making the grimacing Diana look at her with curiosity. "The Hand of Noxus is dead." She finished, staring at the Solari as her expression turned to one of shock.

"What?"

Leona nodded, "You heard that right."

Diana shook her head, unable to process such information. "But, but how? The Hand of Noxus is the most vicious… strongest… I-"

"During the invasion, the Crimson Elite became surrounded by Ionian forces. As they called for support, the Zaunite war machines dropped the biochemical terror over them all, burning and killing both the last Ionian forces and the deadliest Noxian battalion, their leader among them." Leona explained, watching as Diana gasped, unable to believe the horror. "The Zaunites decided some sacrifices had to be made in order to fully exterminate the Ionians." As Diana kept shaking her head, the monstrosities she had just heard invading her mind with images, Leona went on, "Which is grimly funny if you think that, in the end, despite all of their efforts, the Ionians managed to repel them."

Diana frowned, "How did they do that?"

"Seems the newly appointed Ionian Captain of the Guard managed to repel them. The daughter of Master Lito, the famous swordsman." Leona focused on Diana's jaw as her fingers danced over it. "He was a celebrity between the Ra-Horak, we were always expecting his occasional visits, when he would teach us some of his techniques. When he died, his children were left in top positions in Ionia, but his son had run to Demacia in search for help, leaving his daughter to take charge of the defense until they arrived."

"And it seems reinforces took their sweet time going back, didn't they?"

Leona nodded. "When they arrived, it was already too late, but Lito's daughter managed to defeat the Noxians. I've got no clue how she did it, but I know she defeated them and thus was named the new Captain."

"A new Ionian Captain and a dead Noxian Hand…" Diana let out a low whistle. "Runeterra is full of surprises." Upon hearing Leona hum an agreement, a small smile formed on her lips as she continued, "A Ra-Horak who refused to fight, a Solari who stargazed…"

Leona smiled. "A secret affair between the Chosen of the Sun and the moon-addled Solari…" She mumbled as she leaned in, planting a kiss on Diana's mouth.

Diana's smirk turned into a grin against Leona's lips. She kissed her again, "I'll always be with you and support your decisions, no matter what." She pulled away a bit, so that she could look into those golden eyes. "I just want you to promise me that you'll always think your decisions through and that you'll always remain true to yourself."

Leona hugged her, hiding her face, placing it on the union between her neck and her shoulder. "I promise I'll do my best to keep myself out of harm's way, if only for your sake." When she heard Diana laugh, she pulled away, staring into azure eyes. "As long as it doesn't interfere with my other two promises to you."

Diana shook her head, still laughing. "I think I can live with that."

* * *

The raven haired Solari powerwalked through the halls, trying to get her hair and clothes in check, hoping no one would notice how disheveled she actually look.

After spending some more time with Leona, the warring subject having been dropped and replaced with what she considered much more entertaining activities, Diana waited until dawn and left, hoping to find Helena and resume their special task, ordering Leona not to leave her room until later, so that no one would see the both of them together. The warrior had laughed, but agreed to her terms, nonetheless.

So now she was briskly walking to the gardens, expecting to find Helena there.

What she didn't expect, though, was to see her walking towards her, just as fast as she did. "Lena?"

" _Finally,_ you come out of your cave!" Helena said as if scolding her, grabbing her arm upon reaching her and taking her in the opposite direction to the one she was walking to, directing them to another, les concurred section of the gardens.

"I'll ignore the fact that you've got the word  _sex_ written all over your face," Helena said, making Diana blush a crimson red, "And I'll go straight to the point; I think I found something else in this damned book but I need your help to finish translating it."

"Do you have to be so…  _loud_ about it?" Diana asked her, a bit annoyed at how Helena had called her out in such an indiscreet manner, but her annoyance was probably produce of her own embarrassment.

Helena stopped moving then, making Diana hit the short girl's back as she abruptly halted, too. The brunette turned around and looked at Diana, a frown on her face as she seemed to be deep in thought. "I've been thinking…"

"Careful with that."

She ignored Diana's comment, "Normally, I'd call a friend who can only spend time  _fucking_ a  _dick-muncher,_ but since it's not technically a penis what you're munching, what should I call you? Here," She said, ignoring the heated glare she was receiving from Diana. "I'm between two wonderful nicknames, but I'll let you choose;  _Oyster fan_ or _Clam slurper?"_

Diana slowly closed her eyes, nodding her head. "Fine, you win. I won't disappear like that  _ever_ again, I  _swear."_  She said, admitting defeat as she recognized Helena's to be one of the best comebacks she had ever witnessed.

Helena knew so, too, so she grinned, a triumphant smile on her face as she turned around and continued walking, a huff of pride resounding in her throat.

While they walked there, Diana purposefully ignoring her friend, Helena stole glances at the girl, unable to shake the idea that maybe her best friend, maybe no other but  _Diana…_

A frown formed on her face and she looked straight ahead again.

No, it was kind of impossible.

Wasn't it?

But it made so much sense…

She tried not to think about it, for the more she did, the more she considered the idea that maybe Diana was more than just the Chosen of the Sun's lover.

Maybe she was actually her opposite.

She shook her head so as to clear it from those thoughts, which she, Helena had to admit, albeit ashamed of it, still considered blasphemous, even a bit evil. No matter how much she learnt about the Empyrean, Helena was still a Solari at heart; it was known that old habits die hard, but no one ever mentioned beliefs being just as stubborn.

So she refused to acknowledge her friend's evident connection with the nightly deity, opting to remain blind to the truth. A small, sad smile formed on her lips.  _None so blind as those who refuse to see._

"So," Diana broke the silence, unknowing that Helena was actually grateful for it. "This new piece of information that you've found, what's it about?"

"Burial grounds."

Diana frowned, but asked no more; if Helena wasn't offering any more information, it was because she didn't want to let her know anything else just yet.

Still, the little clue was enough to spike her curiosity.

So she picked up her pace, making Helena do the same, reaching the secret spot in the gardens in no time.

Helena took a seat on the ground, Diana mimicking her as she sat down right in front of the brunette.

She didn't stop staring at her like a madwoman as Helena slowly made herself comfortable, laying the book on her lap and opening it to the right page.

Still, she felt uncomfortable as Hell as she felt  _watched._  She looked up at Diana. "What are you staring at, weirdo?"

"I'm waiting for you to spill it."

Helena rolled her eyes, "I told you I need to finish translating this, donkey. Now, scoot closer and help me."

Diana groaned, but obeyed nonetheless, sitting right next to Helena. She felt a bit wary, though, for it was the first time they would read that book in broad daylight, so she eyed Helena with fear. "Lena, are you sure about-"

"I'm tired of having to lock ourselves up in that room just to read this shit." She said, actually sounding sick and tired of it. "If we're careful, there's no reason why anybody should suspect about us. Take it easy."

Diana raised her brows, looking away. "If you say so…"

Helena inspected the book, swiftly making it to the section she needed. "Here, take a look at this." She said, approaching the book to Diana.

The girl gazed at the page, her eyes falling on a beautiful picture of what seemed to be a temple. She inspected the image in front of her better; it was the entrance of a building, two pillars to each side, the Empyrean symbol on top of it, on the center. Everything in that picture was dyed of a silvery grey.

Her eyes fell on the paragraph underneath the picture and she slowly read it out loud, grateful for the fact that her Old Rakkor had improved immensely due to the translation work she had been focused on.

" _It was done with no short amount of irony, the naming of The Sun's Temple. To someone foreign to our religion, the temple's name may lead them to believe the sacred building was created to venerate the Sun, when it was actually built to revere the Moon but, since it was built by the Sun's Avatar herself, it was agreed it should be named after the lover, not the loved one."_

Diana raised her brows, a bit surprised at the information. "Lover and loved one?"

"The Chosen of the Sun was the Chosen of the Moon's lover, that much I learnt from the book." Helena explained, not caring enough to explain further.

Diana had to fight a smile from forming on her face, knowing full well her best friend wasn't very open to the idea, yet. "Oh."

"Keep reading, I know I read something important there." Helena said, waving her off as she frowned in concentration.

Diana kept reading, though, obeying her friend. " _The Sun's Temple was thus considered as part of the holiest of places, for it was built by one deity as a gift to the other. Only those destined can find it, the location being a mystery that surrounds Mount Targon, the Goddesses' territory, a secret shared between two lovers."_

Helena's brows rose. "That!" She exclaimed, excited that Diana had finally reached that part. "That's what I wanted you to read."

Diana frowned. "I don't quite get it, though; a hidden temple that only  _those destined_ can find?"

Helena nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes!" She eyed the book as she continued, "Not anyone can find this place; It remains hidden, magic hiding its' entrance and only those who are something big can see through the illusion and walk past the veil."

"Like Leona?"

Helena thought about it for a second. "I think Leona would be able to, yes, but I wasn't thinking about her." She looked at Diana, "I was thinking about you."

She rose her brows. "Me?" When she saw Helena nod, she asked, "Why me?"

She didn't know how to say it. "Diana, I've got my motives to believe some… things. Things that you won't believe if I told you, until you see them with your own eyes." She smirked, then. "You've always been like that."

"Try me." Diana said, worry coating her features. "Tell me."

Helena shook her head, her expression calm as she refused. "No, Di. I really believe this is something you should see with your own eyes. Besides, consider it a test; If you  _can_ find the entrance, then I was right and my suspicions were correct. If you can't, then I was wrong and made a mistake."

"So you want me to actually go and try to find this place?"

Helena's expression was one of determination as she nodded and said, "Yes. I think you should go. I believe you'll find it."

"And what does this temple have to do with burial grounds?" Diana questioned, raising a brow.

Helena's brown eyes focused on her azure ones. "This temple is located near the top of Mount Targon, it's the only temple we know that was built in order to adore the Moon and it also happens to have a big chance of having survived our feud with the Lunari, since it remains hidden. Now, this seems like it has nothing to do with anything, but think about it, what did we learn our people used to do with the Chosen of the Sun when they died?"

Diana frowned. "The Solari would take the Chosen to the peak of Mount Targon or, at least, to a temple near it, if they couldn't make the climb."

Helena nodded, "Exactly! So, if there was a Chosen of the Moon, then their body should be in there, supposing the Solari inherited the Empyrean traditions."

Diana sighed as she rubbed her temples, frustration taking the best of her. "But what's so special about me that you are not telling me, Helena? Why do you want me to go there, alone?"

"That is for me to know and for you to find out, Diana."

"Lena-"

"You won't coax it out of me, Di. I'm sorry." Her expression softened a bit, then, upon seeing Diana let out a frustrated sigh. "I will tell you this, though;" She smiled. "I think this is something we both should have known, or at least suspected, a long time ago."

Diana rubbed her eyes. "You're ruining my life."

Helena laughed. "Trust me, if I'm right, your life was destined to be ruined."

Diana looked up at her friend, then, seriousness making her look as if she was glaring. "That was not funny at all."

"I laugh so as not to cry, donkey."

Wariness made Diana grimace. After a moment of silence, she accepted Helena's request. "Fine, I'll go. I'll just let Leona know first-"

"No."

Diana blinked, then looked at Helena. "What?"

"I don't think Leona should know about your little trip."

It was starting to get on her nerves. "And why not?"

"Because it's too dangerous." Helena said, making Diana groan. She placed each of her hands to each side of Diana's head, holding her by her cheeks. "Diana," She said, calling her attention, making her focus on her instead of on her emotions. "This is serious; I suspect something awfully important.  _No one_ can know you're going there, not even Leona; It may put the both of you at risk, so the fewer people who know, the better. Do you understand?" She inquired. "Besides, if she knew, she'd try to delay her trip to Demacia and that would only raise a lot of questions, or am I wrong?"

Diana slowly nodded, so Helena mirrored her movement.

"Good," Helena added, releasing Diana. "I heard Leona is leaving in two days, is this true?"

"Yeah, she's leaving at dawn."

"Perfect. You should leave by then, too."

Diana sighed, a bit afraid of what she was getting herself into. "Fine."

"Your trip will last around the same time as Leona's, considering you won't have the traveling facilities she'll get, so I'll help you get ready and I'll do my best to cover for you, so that people don't notice you are gone."

Diana let out a self-deprecating laugh. "With the amount of love they feel for me, I think they won't really notice I'm not there."

"Oh, Di, that's the problem," Helena said, a sad smile on her lips. "Eos hates you so much, he'll notice your absence in no time."

Diana smirked at her. "Keep him distracted, then."

"I'll do my best." Helena said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Well, enough about this," Diana said, standing up. "I'm going to go to the dining hall, have something to eat. Are you coming?"

"In a minute." Helena said, relaxing as she laid down on the grass, "I'll soak up some sunlight first." She added with a smile as she closed her eyes.

Diana shrugged. "Fine, see you in a bit, Lena."

"See you around, gremlin." Helena said as a farewell, seeing her friend roll her eyes at her and leave.

As Diana turned around, her back facing the short girl, Helena regarded her with a sad look. She hadn't had the heart to tell Diana the truth.

She hadn't had the heart to tell her that, if her suspicions were correct, then Leona would turn into her enemy, because maybe in the Empyrean times, things were different.

But in their times… In their times, the game was another one, as it had been changed.

In their times, if Helena was right, Leona couldn't love Diana.

She couldn't, for the Chosen of the Sun would have to fight the Chosen of the Moon, her counterpart, her enemy.

_Therefore, I really hope I'm wrong, dear Diana, but I'm never really wrong._

_I know I'm not._


	21. Chapter 21

Diana was grateful she wasn't Helena.

She was grateful, because it meant claustrophobia wasn't one of her fears.

She was grateful, because it meant she could be locked in a broom closet, like she was now, Leona in there with her, the cramped space making them stick to each other as if they were glued to the other's body.

Not like they wouldn't be as close if it weren't for the lack of room, anyway.

What she wasn't grateful for, though, was the lack of  _time._

"Leo-" She attempted, but she got cut off by the warrior's lips on her own, Diana's hands on Leona's waist, Leona's on Diana's back as she squeezed her close to herself, but not with much force, for she feared her armor may harm or bother her lover.

She felt Leona smile against her lips. "Sh."

"But, Leo-"

Another kiss silenced her. "I know, I know." Leona kissed her once more. "But I won't be seeing you in  _so many_ days…" She pressed her lips against Diana's, again. "I swear; I'll start suffering withdrawal."

Diana laughed against her lips, a mischievous smirk on her own as a hand slid downwards, past Leona's waist, expertly finding the chink in her Chosen's armor, located curiously close to her crotch, as she allowed her fingers to slide through it, drumming them against Leona's groin. "Withdrawal from what?"

Her smirk grew in size as she felt Leona's sharp intake of breath, the air she had inhaled hitching on her throat.

Diana moved her head towards Leona's neck, her smile disappearing for a split second as she pressed her tongue flat against Leona's pulse point and licked it up, the tip of her tongue reaching the end of Leona's jaw.

"Fuck you." Leona growled, her hands applying pressure to Diana's hips as she moved them and squeezed her lover.

Diana laughed, "Wow, rude." She said, looking into Leona's eyes.

She found lust in them, an eerie glow to the golden colors in them. "No, I meant  _fuck you_." She repeated herself as she pressed her whole body against Diana's, her leg instinctively making it to its' rightful position; between the Solari's.

"No, we can't." Diana refused, closing her eyes so as to avoid the temptation that Leona presented. Upon feeling Leona's body press against hers more insistently, she quickly moved both of her hands towards Leona's chest, pushing her backwards a bit. "I'm serious, you devil." She added, smirking when she heard Leona groan.

"You're impossible." The Chosen said, a smile already creeping up her lips.

"Me?" She huffed a laugh. " _You're_  the one leaving!"

"It's not like I  _want_ to!" Leona complained, making Diana regard her with a no nonsense look, so she nodded her head a bit. "Okay, perhaps I  _do_ want a bit, but still!"

"We'll have plenty of time for that later, when you come back." Diana offered, as if it could bring relief to Leona's cravings.

As if she wasn't leaving right after the warrior did.

"I will miss you terribly, anyway." Leona breathed out as she hugged Diana, burying her nose in the girl's hair. "I don't want to leave your side."

Diana's smile softened, her hands moving up to Leona's neck as she wrapped her arms around her. "I will miss you like crazy, too."

"I promise I'll think of you every day." Leona said as she placed each of her palms on Diana's cheeks, gazing into her azure eyes. "And I'll dream of you every night."

Diana laughed, blushing due to her words. "So romantic, you."

Leona smiled, "I love you." She said, gently pressing her lips against Diana's in a slow, soft kiss. "My sunshine," She whispered against Diana's mouth, her eyes closed as she allowed her forehead to rest against the Solari's.

Diana laughed again, " _Sunshine?_ I think that would be you, not me."

Leona chuckled, "Okay, my  _moonlight."_  She said, a knowing smirk on her lips.

"You're ridiculous." Diana said, though she had to fight the smile on her lips as she hid her face on Leona's neck, the warrior's hands returning to the raven haired girl's back.

The warrior laughed a bit, the shaking of her chest making Diana's move, too. "I love you." She repeated after a moment, making Diana pull away so as to look at her in the eye.

She slowly leaned in, kissing her gently. "I love you, too. Promise you'll tell me everything about your trip once you're back?"

Leona smiled. "I promise, every detail included." She said, then her smile disappeared. "Are you sure you don't want to bid me farewell at the entrance?"

Diana shook her head. "I'm not going; it would be a torture for both of us. I'd rather say goodbye in here, where I can kiss you and touch you as I please, than in front of everyone, where I'll have to behave myself and watch you leave."

Leona sighed. "It'd be an extra minute being close to you, though."

"Leona, please, don't be  _so_ clingy." Diana teased, a smile on her lips as she heard Leona gasp.

"How  _dare_ you call me clingy? You're just as bad." She questioned, making Diana chuckle.

"I have no clue what you're talking about, love."

A smirk on the warrior's lips. "Sure."

They heard footsteps approaching, so both girls hushed each other like children, hugging so as to keep each other as still as possible as they heard the passersby.

"Like Hell I'm knocking on the Chosen's door. You're doing it!" They heard a male voice say.

A sigh. "She doesn't bite; you know?" It was Lycia's voice the one that sounded, then. Diana tried not to snort, for she knew that, in fact, Leona  _did_ bite. "Besides, you're just following Akins' orders, nothing else."

They heard them walk away, but waited until their footsteps were completely gone to talk.

"Guess it's time to go," Leona said, a sad tone to her voice. She looked at Diana's eyes, a sad frown on her face.

"I guess it's time." Diana echoed, a small, kind smile on her lips as she stroked Leona's cheek, the girl resting her head on her palm.

"Diana, may I kiss you one last time?" The warrior inquired, sounding as small as a child.

Diana's smile widened into a grin, the Solari finding her lover impossibly cute. "You'd break my heart if you didn't."

Leona chuckled, then cupped Diana's face with both of her hands as she leaned in and kissed her for the last time in a while, devouring the content sigh Diana dropped into the kiss.

Completely ignoring her lover's fate.

* * *

Leona walked to the main entrance to the temple, all by herself.

"Ah, there you are, My Chosen!" Akins said as a way of greeting her as he bowed his head a bit, Leona smiling and mimicking his actions. "Are you ready to go?" He questioned.

Leona nodded. "I believe I am." She said, letting her eyes scan her surroundings. She saw three carriages, her Sun Guard already climbing into one, almost half of the Elders already on another, Sekhet and Eos between the travelers, and the Ra-Horak preparing to board the last one, Khait giving his personal guard instructions, his soldiers nodding their heads as they heard him while they climbed in and sat down.

Leona arched an eyebrow. "I thought we'd meet the Ra-Horak in Demacia?" She inquired as she shot a questioning look at Akins.

The man turned to look at the Ra-Horak soldiers, then he looked at her again, "Oh, yes, well, Commander Khait decided we should all travel together instead." Akins' smile widened a bit, "He said he trusted this way would be safer for all of us."

Leona frowned. "Safer?"

And thus Akins' smile faded away. "Word about our possible alliance with Demacia reached Noxus. The Commander believes they  _might_ try to ambush us on our way to the city."

Leona grimaced. "Better safe than sorry, then."

"Indeed." Akins said, his smirk back on his face. "Anyhow, the Ra-Horak are to go all in one carriage, the other Elders and I will be in a second one and you'll be traveling with your Sun Guard, if you agree."

"I'm surprised you don't mind them coming," Leona said, arching an eyebrow. "After all, they haven't finished their training yet."

"Well, they're almost done with it, though." Akins retorted. "Besides, going on a real, security mission, ensuring your safety, may be just the right kind of practice for them."

Leona caught Khait's eye, so she smirked as she patted Akins' back. "That is true." She said, then moved towards her former Commander.

"Well, well, well..." Khait said out loud, a smile on his lips. "If it isn't the Chosen of the Sun herself."

Leona chuckled as she reached him. "If it isn't the Commander of the Ra-Horak himself."

"Come here," Khait let out as he suddenly hugged her, laughing a bit. He pulled away, "I missed your annoying face."

"I missed your stinky breath, too." Leona said, earning a sudden shove from her former teacher. "Hey!"

"Call me stinky one more time and I'll punch you." The Commander warned.

"Stinky." Leona breathed out and Khait immediately threw a punch at her face, which she barely dodged, despite having expected it. "To be honest, I had a small hope that you wouldn't do it."

"You know me, Leona. I'm surprised you kind of expected another reaction." He said smugly, making his former student chuckle as she shook her head. He noticed someone's absence, then. " ** _Isn't Diana coming to bid you farewell?_** " He asked her in the Old Rakkor, hoping no Solari would comprehend his words.

The Ra-Horak's expression fell a bit when he saw her shake her head no. "Nope." She said, looking a bit sad, too.

"Why not?"

" ** _She said it would be torture for both of us._** " Leona explained, then added, " ** _She wishes you a nice trip, though_**."

Khait sighed, " ** _She has a point._** "

"Enough chatter," Leona said, clapping her hands together, "I think it's time for us to part." She decided, knowing full well everyone would believe her eagerness to leave would be due to her desire to finally visit Demacia and forge a new, strong alliance.

A bitter smirk formed on her lips as she thought how that would mean everyone was blind and wrong, for the truth was that she only wanted to leave as soon as possible so as not to give herself the time and space to run away from her duties with a certain miscreant like her.

**_Wouldn't be a bad idea, actually._ **

That bitter smirk turned into a grin.

_Finally, we agree in something._

"You're right." Khait said, then turned to board his carriage. "Let's go!" He hollered, the Ra-Horak responding with loud cheers.

Leona smiled as she mimicked him, getting on her own transport.

As they readied, the trip slowly began, the wheels taking them away from the Temple.

The departure making a vigilant Helena turn and go towards the eastern entrance to the Temple, which was currently empty, save for one scholar who was supposed to be waiting for her best friend there.

As she reached the meeting point, she saw Diana there, Leona's former Ra-Horak armor on.

She turned upon hearing her friend approach. "They're gone." She stated, for she would not be seeing her friend if it weren't like that.

Helena nodded her head. "They're gone." She repeated, making it official. "Here," she said, as she gave Diana a bag she had been carrying with her. "I filled this with essentials; food, water, a map of Mount Targon and some bandages that I really hope you don't end up needing."

Diana frowned, but took the bag nonetheless, getting her arms through its' straps so that it would rest on her back. "Thanks. I still don't know how you managed to scheme all of this."

"Stealing Leona's armor was easy, considering she was  _busy_ locked in some  _broom closet_  a while ago…" Helena said, giving Diana a knowing look as the Solari blushed.

"That doesn't explain how you got into her bedroom."

"Please," Helena responded, as if actually offended by Diana's words. "She's the Chosen of the Sun; everyone respect's her so much, she doesn't even need to lock her door, no one's getting into her room without her permission, anyways. She's aware of that."

Diana's brows shot up as she blinked in surprise, realizing her friend was right. "True."

"And your travel goodies were stolen from different places, just to make sure no one would really notice they're gone." Helena added, a smug smirk on her lips as she recalled how she had stolen food and water from the kitchen, the map from the library, the bag from Armin's former bedroom.

Diana chuckled. "You're too clever for your own good."

"I hope I'm never exactly  _too_ clever." Helena commented, then made a surprised face as she remembered something. "Oh! Here, before I forget," She said, "Wait a second," She ordered Diana as she moved towards the left side of the door.

Helena touched many of the wall's bricks, as if testing them, until she felt one that yielded to her touch. She smirked. "This one," She said, as she pulled it away from the wall, making Diana gape at her, shocked at her friend's actions; she had never known that brick was loose. "It's always been the weak one." Helena added, as if that explained anything.

Slowly, Helena retrieved a sword which, after the short girl finished pulling it out of the wall, Diana noticed was her very own khopesh.

"Hey!" Diana begun, surprised, "Where did you get that from?"

Helena moved towards her friend, offering her the curved blade. "You have a bad habit of not locking your door, either."

Diana took the blade, strapping it to her back with the leather sheath Khait had put together for her. "You were using my room to study our book!" She tried to excuse herself.

"Still, that's no excuse to make your privacy so public." Helena said with a smart-ass tone.

"Whatever." Diana said with a shrug of her shoulders.

But then the light-hearted air was gone, for the seriousness of what was about to take place had finally settled over them.

Helena broke the silence. "So, you must go now."

"Yes."

The short girl couldn't fight it as she grabbed her friend by her shoulders. "Diana," She said, making the girl look at her. "I want you to pay attention to what I'm about to say, okay?" She inquired, an arched eyebrow as she spoke.

Diana nodded her head, incapable of saying anything or even using her voice.

Helena's expression became deadly serious, a stone-cold frown on her face, a mask that Diana had never seen her wear before. "If anything happens that makes you want to turn around and return, please, do so. Your life is more valuable than any stupid moon temple and far richer than any kind of useless, unknown knowledge. I don't want you to compromise your life to this investigation; if something, or someone, threatens you out there, I want you to  _turn around and return._  You got that?"

Diana nodded vigorously, surprised at the authoritative tone.

Helena nodded just once. "Good. Second; If you don't find the temple, if it doesn't appear to you and you get tired of searching, I want you to do exactly the same;  _turn around and return._  Okay?"

Diana's head moved in the same motion once more.

"Perfect. Now, last but definitely not least," Helena said and that mask faded away, as her eyes became full of an emotion, one Diana couldn't put her finger on, as the brunette's voice quivered with it, too. "There's a chance that you  _may_ find it, that your life is destined to become something else, something bigger than all of us put together. If that's the case, then I don't know what course of action you should follow; that's something  _you_ and  _only you_ will know right then and there, but there  _is_ something that I do know and this is it, so pay attention."

A shaky breath escaped the clever girl as she collected her thoughts and found her voice. "I do know that I love you, my Diana, and that I've loved you from the very first moment we became friends. This is a fact that no destiny nor fate can ever change; not mine and definitely not yours."

Diana slowed down her breathing, trying not to tremble at the sight of her friend, her dearest friend, letting tears fall from her eyes from an emotion she still couldn't describe, her voice shaking with the force of an earthquake. "And because I love you like I do, with all your good and all your evil, because we all have a bit of it in us, I want you to know that I will always be loyal to you. To  _you, Diana, my best friend,_ and no one else, and nothing else. Nothing can ever change that; you'll always be welcome in my heart, no matter how much we fall apart, how distanced or separated we get, how different we become from one another, in the end."

Helena's hands moved from Diana's shoulders to her cheeks as she cupped her face, intent on making the girl focus only on her voice, on her words. "No gods nor devils can  _ever_ make me turn my back on you. Not the Sun, not the Moon, not anyone in between, above or below." Helena said, the sound leaving her mouth reminding Diana of thunder, its' sheer strength making her bones tremble, her mind blank as she couldn't process anything else but the fact that Helena, a fervent Solari, was actually being blasphemous.

Nevermind the fact that she had always been, as she had always turned a blind eye on Diana's not-so-secret fascination.

Diana stuttered as she tried to speak. "Lena, what, what are you-"

"What I'm trying to say, Di," Helena interrupted her, letting go of the girl with one hand as she brushed her tears away. "Is that I'm afraid things may change forever. I always knew you weren't like me, but if my suspicions are correct, then…" She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Never like you?"

Helena made a face as she snorted. "Come on, you know it's true. You never really were a Solari, Diana."

The girl's heart became gripped by fear and sadness, "What do you mean?"

"It makes sense to me to say it, now; you were never a Solari, for you were always an Empyrean." Helena said, no malice nor judgement in her tone, a sympathetic look on her face.

Diana let out a sigh of relief, a breath she didn't know she had been holding, as she gave in to her emotions and simply hugged her friend, crushing her against her own body.

A single tear escaped her eye as she laughed, "I'm so glad I can call you my friend."

Helena reciprocated the hug, chuckling as she added, "Your  _best_ friend."

"The best I'll ever have."

Helena pulled away, "The best  _anyone_ can ever have." She said smugly, making Diana chuckle.

As silence took over, Diana realized she had to leave. "Guess it's time for me to go, now, isn't it?"

Helena nodded. "It is."

"I'll remember your orders  _and_  your words, Lena." A smile crept up her lips. "Every last one of them."

Helena got on the tip of her toes and kissed Diana's brow, "Don't you ever dare forget."

Diana smiled. "Don't you ever dare forget that what comes around, goes around, either." She said with a small wink, as a way of letting her know that the same rules, the same loyalty, applied for her, making Helena smile.

Before she could keep pushing her departure away, Diana turned and left, one step at a time, as Helena watched her from the entrance, a smirk on her lips.

And fear in her arteries.

* * *

She walked for hours on end, but she didn't feel tired at all. Perhaps it was the adrenaline the thing that kept her going, the fuel to her journey.

And where did the adrenaline come from?

Was it from the fear that had drove her to leave? Or the heat of doing something forbidden?

Was it due to Helena's words?

Or what had been implied, the truths that laid underneath the surface?

Millions of questions ran through Diana's mind, each of similar yet different natures, none answered, all making her insane.

It all was translated into noise inside her head, but a special, certain kind of it; as that specific sound that you don't notice it's there until it's gone, only she knew it was present, but not because she heard it, but because she  _felt_ it.

These unanswered queries swirled in a whirlwind inside her head, filling it up until no space was left behind. The only logical way to free her mind from its' prison would be to dissipate the question marks, give them the response they begged for, but since she didn't have any answer in her possession, she tried not to think about it, not to worry about it, not to try and respond to something she couldn't.

Or didn't want to…?

It was a complicated thing; to try and tell whether she couldn't answer due to a lack of knowledge or an overloading of fear.

So she ignored it completely, trying to be the one thing she had never been in her life;

Blind.

* * *

She had to stop, she needed to rest.

It had nothing, absolutely  _nothing,_ to do with the fact that night was above her, the Moon shining bright, thus making her want to stop and stare at that night's sky, filled with bright, celestial beings, the Moon, the stars, the vast darkness, the beings, creatures, forces, powers that had always called her name in her dreams.

Really, nothing to do with it.

So, since she  _needed_ to sit down for a bit, she did so, for she had finally reached a small cave…

…but she didn't want to suffocate in it due to the smoke of the fire she had lit for her small camp, so she settled down just outside of it.

Nevermind that her eyes weren't on her fire, but on the stars above her head.

Her eyes focused on the Moon and a sigh escaped her lips. Diana wasn't certain she'd find the Sun's Temple, but like Hell she wasn't going to, at least, try.

A cold breeze made her hair sway in the wind, her eyes closing so that she could relish in the feeling of it against her face. It was a wind of change; it took away her fear, filled her with courage. With something even better.

Determination.

So she reopened her eyes, still locked on the Moon and a smirk made the side of her mouth twitch upwards.

_I'm finding you._

_No matter what it means in terms of my fate._

_In terms of my faith._

* * *

"You know," Diana said out loud to no one in particular. "I didn't want it to happen, but it did; I finally lost count of how many days have passed." She chuckled at her own silliness. "I wanted to keep track, but I ended up losing it, somewhere after day three." She commented, for a second not knowing whether she was talking about losing track of time or losing something else, like her sanity.

Her feet moved forwards, nonetheless, as she slowly climbed the mighty mountain. "I start to miss her; you know?" She asked to no one, or perhaps she  _did_ ask that question to someone… or something. "And I know I'm not talking about Leona." She confessed, then frowned, "I mean, yeah,  _of course_ I miss Leona, I love her, but…" She sighed. "But I've never been so far away from Helena. She's always been by my side, so it feels weird not to have her."

Diana smiled. "Funny, I thought losing Leona would be devastating, but I think I can handle the distance. Like, somehow, I know she'll end up gravitating back to me, just like I will go back to her, as if we were tied together, already." She said, unaware of the truth behind her words.

"Helena, though…" She looked up at the sky, the evening Sun close to the horizon, so the colors in front of her eyes were of an orange hue. "I've never experienced life without Helena by my side… Leona, she was an aggregate that happened later on, so I knew life before her and I could handle something like it, were the circumstances to arise, but… but I can't recall life without Helena."

She frowned as she inspected her hands, bringing them up in the air, between the sky and her face, so as to put them in her line of sight, instead of looking downwards at them. It said so much about her. "It feels like a phantom limb; something's not right, something's missing and when I go and look for it is when I realize what it is."

Her hands fell to her sides, but her eyes remained high. "I still think about her words; about what they may mean." Her brow furrowed. "Could she be suggesting some… bigger task destined to be mine? Some greater destiny, a big role to take, an important character to play?"

She spotted the Moon in the sky, already taking over as the Sun left for the night and called it a day. "Could she be talking about me and you? About  _us?_ " She inquired, realizing just then that she had been talking to her dark mistress all along.

She laughed, covering her eyes with a hand. "Oh, I think I may be at my wit's end." The smile remained on her lips. "Still, I'm not giving up; I'm a patient woman." She added, looking at the Moon. "I'm finding you, sooner or later."

She didn't expect that eerie feeling; the one you get when the being that you're looking at smiles back at you.

A shiver ran down her spine as she felt the mysterious deity staring back at her, a cold air creeping up her bones as she felt  _watched._

_No, not only watched._

_Followed._

She kept pushing forwards, though.

_I'm finding you, one way or another._

_Even if it means you find me, first._

* * *

She poked the branches she had used for her fire with another one, watching it as it caught the flames, studying how they danced as they slowly consumed her stick.

She had become too tired to keep going, so she settled down in the middle of her own road, snorting as she saw she had, by accident, decided to rest just as the night took over.

Really, this time, it was true; it  _had_ been an accident.

At some point in her journey, one that was probably a week long by now, Diana questioned the existence of the Sun's Temple. As quickly as that thought attacked her, though, she brushed it off, because she refused to fail. If not for her, for Helena.

She would keep on looking for the mysterious temple.

And she would find it. No doubt about that.

Still, she felt afraid; a knot formed in her throat every time she considered the chance that perhaps the temple was gone, destroyed, vanished from this life in an act of hate.

For it was the Sun's Temple, but it revered the Moon.

Well, not the Moon, but her Chosen.

A temple built out of love; of an adoration and worship so strong, the need for a material demonstration of it was felt.

Diana bit her lip as she studied the flames. Solari and Lunari had once been one; one joined by something as strong and pure as love. Now, they were two; two divided by something as powerful as love, but impure like nothing else.

Hate.

She frowned at the fire. How did that happen? Why did it happen? Surely, for something like this to take place... She seriously doubted the celestials had anything to do with it because, if they did hate each other, then how was it possible that Leona loved her? Leona, the Sun's Avatar, loving the girl with her mind on the Moon.

There was no way her Goddess had a hand on it.

Well,  _Goddesses._ To Hell with the Solari, Helena was right; she was an Empyrean, not a false worshipper like those who just followed the Sun.

She wasn't  _blind_ like them, for her eyes were open. They had always been open.

She'd rather die than turn her back on her beliefs. That much she knew to be true in her heart.

So she looked up at the Moon, then slowly closed her eyes as she shifted, kneeling on the ground, her hand dropping the stick on the flames as she extended her arms away from her body.

And then, she whispered it. "All this time, ever since beginning to breathe, I've never asked anything of you," She said, the hushed sound dancing with the cracking of her fire.

"Tonight, as you shine so bright, as you honor me with your presence in all of its' glory, I beg of you one thing." She said, feeling the wind pick up a bit, opening her eyes to gaze at the full Moon.

And, like the prayer it was, she finally said it, finally asked her Goddess for an answer.

"Show me a sign, mark the path that I must follow, and I swear on my life that I'll follow it until the end, come what may, no matter the cost."

The wind began its' howling, the fire in front of her shaking with its' force. Diana's eyes moved towards it, focusing on it intensely, her brow furrowed as she shifted from her knees to the ball of her feet, her arms helping her keep balance in such a crouched position, ready to stand up and move if needed.

As the wind kept whistling, speeding up, its' strength making the fire grow and grow. Diana quickly stood up and moved backwards, pushed by the flames as she stared at them in awe, but ready for anything, as she still had her khopesh strapped to her back.

She was even tempted to unsheathe it, poise it against the flames as if it were a monster that came straight from the Void.

But, as she was about to reach for her blade, the fire suddenly gave up, turning off, disappearing as if a bucket of water had just rained down on it.

Diana relaxed a bit, dropping her defensive stance slightly, releasing a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

But then she heard it.

Or, better said, she didn't.

The unnatural quiet, the dead silence that could mean danger, out in the open.

Diana unsheathed her sword, completely ignoring her bag as it rested on the ground, remnants of some of her game, hunting she had done with her stealth and her skills, laying alongside it.

She began slowly pivoting on her own feet, trying to locate a threat.

Dread filled her as she realized she felt what she usually did when having those dreams which were flooded with creatures, entities, presences.

When she was flooded by images of that silver haired woman.

She became focused like a Huntress, a predator. "Show yourself." Diana breathed out, feeling invaded by that eerie presence, realizing that, perhaps, she was actually the prey.

Diana heard an otherworldly voice, a familiar voice, a tender laugh.

Only she didn't hear it with her ears.

She heard it in her mind.

Diana tried not to think of it.

Then she felt, more than heard, the rustling of leaves, the breaking of branches that had little to nothing to do with the wind.

She quickly turned in the direction of the sound.

She gasped, her breath hitching as she caught a glimpse of silver hair, the glowing sight disappearing behind a curtain of darkness, obstacles like trees impairing her vision.

"Hey!" Diana called, but the woman didn't come back, so she rushed towards her, sheathing her blade on her back.

She tried to follow the swift, silver haired woman, but the mysterious girl was faster, so she always ended up behind, barely catching a glimpse of silver and black.

She kept pushing, kept running, kept following her, though. "Wait!"

She heard that laughter again. " ** _Waited enough._** " The familiar voice said, so far from her, though she heard it as if they were face to face.

"Lies!" Diana cried out, desperately trying to keep up.

That gentle laugh again, as if the other woman wasn't running as fast, as if she could breathe easily, with no trouble. " ** _Run like the wind, Diana."_**

So run she did.

She willed her legs to pick up the pace, to speed up as much as possible, her running turning into a relentless sprinting, her breathing becoming erratic as it came out in ragged puffs.

A snickering laughter resounded in her head. " ** _I'm so sorry._** " That voice apologized.

Diana frowned, unsure of what was happening as she sped up head first, aimed at a big bush.

 _What for?,_ She thought.

Then she pushed through the bush like an arrow.

Only to realize she had just run through the cliff's edge.

As she began to fall, her body collided against the ground, slowly rolling downwards over the slope.

She grunted and groaned as she curled inwards, balling up, trying to protect her head from the speedy fall, prioritizing it over her bruised body.

The fall lasted way too many seconds for her liking, but it soon halted, as she finally reached a ledge.

When she finally landed, she tried to sit for a second, moaning in pain as she rubbed her neck, then her back, her arms, rolling her shoulders and cracking her spine, releasing the tension.

She halted every movement, even her breathing, as she finally looked up, though.

A pristine building towered over her; a silver, marble temple. On top of its' entrance, at the center, a symbol; a Sun with a crescent Moon in it.

The Empyrean symbol.

Diana gaped at it as she stood up, ignoring the pain on her body, the cries of her ligaments, tendons and joints as she got on her feet, the growling of her muscles as she forced them to work.

Slowly, she made her way to the door, the silver haired girl completely forgotten.

She reached the entrance, two pillars to each side. Diana's hand automatically moved towards one of them, gently touching the smooth surface. She rested her weight on it and closed her eyes, letting the skin of her face make contact with it.

"I found it," she whispered, recalling the picture of The Eternal Cycle and realizing it was identical to the building in front of her. A smile formed on her lips. "I found it." She repeated, unable to believe it.

Laughter escaped her throat as she got excited. She looked at the door and decided she had waited enough, just like the voice in her head had said.

So she breathed in and out, in and out, trying to calm her raging heart down.

And, with a long inhale of bravery, she held her head high as she moved to the door and slowly pushed it open.

With a creak of disuse, the door cried out as Diana opened it, her eyes scanning the room in front of her.

It seemed to shine with the moonlight; a marble room, every color in it silvery or of similar hues, an altar at the center of it, right in front of a big mural.

Diana approached the mural and inspected it; It displayed a painting of two women facing each other, their foreheads pressed together, their hands in between them as they held the Empyrean Symbol.

The girl to the left had short, auburn, unruly hair that reminded Diana of a lion's mane, of fire, of heat and adrenaline. Her eyes were closed and her expression looked serene. She was wearing an armor of some kind; golden pieces of armor over a dark red, strange kind of linen that hugged her seemingly strong, hard body. A big, golden, double-edged battle-axe rested behind her, to the left limit of the painting.

Diana stared in awe, letting her mind race through the several, different pieces of information she had recollected while reading, for the girl reminded her of something…

Her brows shot up as she remembered that girl's name.

_It's Edlyn, the previous Chosen of the Sun._

She allowed her hand to touch the painting, her eyes glued to Edlyn's calm demeanor, but only for a second, as her sight then swayed to her right, to the woman right in front of the Sun's Avatar.

A woman of the same height, with a silver armor, that same, strange linen hugging her slim figure, only it was black instead of red. Shoulder length, wavy, silver hair on her head, an expression just as gentle as Edlyn's, a silver khopesh resting right behind her. She looked like quietness; a calm river underneath the gleam of the silver moonlight.

Diana dropped to her knees as she allowed her mind to connect the dots, her breath catching in her throat.

"If you were Edlyn," She breathed out, as she scanned the Chosen of the Sun's face. "Then you must have been…" She trailed off, as she looked at the one opposite to the Sun's Avatar.

_The Chosen of the Moon._

_She's real._

_It's all real._

Diana shook her head slowly, then bursted out laughing with joy.

"It's all true!" She said, laughing gleefully, her head falling backwards as she stared up at the ceiling. "The Empyreans existed!"

As her mind slowly worked out what that meant, she got up on her feet and moved towards the Chosen of the Moon's side of the mural. "Then you were her lover…" She said, as she glanced at Edlyn, sideways. "The Sun and the Moon were lovers…" She said with a focused frown, then laughed again. "The Solari and the Lunari were one!" She hollered, a humongous grin on her lips.

She rested her forehead on the wall. "I wish I knew your name… I wish I knew who you were…" She looked up at the Moon's Avatar's face, her voice soft and tender. "Who were you? How was it like, your life?" She closed her eyes and allowed her brow to touch the wall, again. "What was your name?" She asked, the sound of her voice being a quiet plea.

Silence greeted her.

Only it didn't last much.

**_Her name was Skadi._ **

Diana quickly turned around, her hand already finding her blade and unsheathing it as she quickly stood in a defensive stance, fear making her react.

The familiar, otherworldly voice laughed.  ** _I'm in your head, Diana._**

Diana frowned, slowly letting her guard down. "My… my head…?"

**_Yes._ **

Diana sheathed her blade once more as the cogs inside her brain began to turn, working faster every second.

**_Who am I, Diana?_ **

Diana suddenly dropped to her knees once more, this time bowing her head until her brow touched the ground. "By the Sun!" She exclaimed, shocked as she realized who she could hear. "You're, you're-"

Laughter resounded inside her head; a sound of joy.

"I can't believe this, I'm not worthy of it, I just-"

**_Diana!_ **

Her rambling halted.

**_On your feet._ **

Diana immediately stood up.

**_Breathe._ **

Diana obeyed.

**_No. Slowly. Breathe slowly._ **

Diana slowed down her breathing, deepening it, too. She began to laugh, shaking her head.

"I can't believe this… This, this can't be real."

**_But it is._ **

Diana began to look around as her shaky limbs carried her around the room. "But it is." She repeated, marveling at the mural, at the altar, the walls, the pillars, the Goddess.

**_I've been watching over you, Diana._ **

Something about that confession made her heart tremble. "I'm starting to believe you have for quite a long time, yes." She said, letting her hand touch the wall as she walked, sliding it over the smooth surface. "Your presence… this… this  _thing,"_ She frowned as she tried to concentrate on that emotion, on that feeling. Her eyes wondered towards Skadi, on the wall. "Was she the one haunting my dreams? The one who brought me here?"

**_She's the ghost who brought you here, yes, but she's not the same one who you saw in your dreams._ **

Diana's frown deepened.

**_The one in your dreams was my forthcoming Chosen of the Moon._ **

Her eyes opened wide, "And I'll meet her, I'll take it? Is that why I found your temple, my Goddess? To become your messenger, your Chosen's guide?"

Silence.

Still, Diana didn't back down, for she knew her Goddess was  _there,_ with  _her,_ listening, hoping she'd ask the right question, the one which she needed to answer.

And she finally did.

"Which bigger fate, which bigger purpose in life made me worthy of having found this temple, of having found  _you_?"

**_You still haven't figured it out, have you?_ **

Diana's concern was evident on her face. "Is it so obvious? Am I that blind?"

Her Goddess chuckled in her mind, feeling the sound like a gentle pat on the back.

**_Blind is the one thing you never were, Diana, even though the answer is right there, in front of you._ **

Perhaps it was the wording, or the fact that she was currently staring at Skadi's calm demeanor, but something clicked inside her head, "I'm to bring our religion back, to help it reforge itself once more, make it live anew."

**_Yes._ **

"…And how am I going to do that?" Diana wondered, letting her hands rest on the altar as she focused on them, trying to think of an answer.

A part of her suspected it, though. The thing was, she was a bit afraid of admitting it and taking up such responsibility.

Why would the Moon, no other but the Moon herself, be gracing her with her presence if she wasn't…

She closed her eyes and realized what she had to do. "I have to go back, inform Helena and the others about this."

**_This?_ **

"You –the Sun and you, –the Empyrean…" She began to shake her head as she got ready to go, "I must tell them, I must open their eyes to the truth!" Her voice turned louder as she accepted her mission and, with a triumphant smile, for she was finally right, for she was finally victorious, for she was finally the devoted one, not the miscreant, she made it to the door and escaped the veiled sanctuary, letting it hide under the moonlight as she ran like the devil towards the temple, feeling the gentle push of her deity, willing her forwards, guiding her home.

* * *

The trip to Demacia had been fairly quick. Honestly, Leona hadn't expected it to be so… rushed.

They arrived just before the week finished and wouldn't stay much; as soon as the deal was made, the Rakkor would get on the road again.

They were walking down the halls of the Citadel of Dawn, making their way to the meeting room inside King Jarvan the Third's palace, Garen Crownguard and Prince Jarvan the Fourth himself guiding them there.

The Exemplar of Demacia and the Might of Demacia had recounted the Noxian attack on Ionia, explaining to the Elders and the Ra-Horak everything about it, including every detail about the gruesome terror.

Leona didn't pay attention, but not only because she already knew the story and was certain they were only trying to make them all feel pity and rage, enough of both to close the contract.

It was also due to a feeling of impatience that had been with her ever since leaving the Temple.

Well, not  _exactly_ since leaving. She recalled she had begun feeling like that some minutes after leaving.

A feeling of adrenaline and ecstasy, an excited emotion, impatient and stubborn, had suddenly invaded her while traveling and it didn't give up, didn't fade away. The persistent sensation had been haunting her ever since its' sudden apparition and she couldn't shake it off, nor pinpoint why she felt like that.

She had blamed it on being excited for that trip and the forging of a new alliance, but she knew it wasn't like that. Deep inside, the warrior knew the feeling had nothing to do with it.

It was something far more important, far bigger than the Rakkor, Demacia, herself and anything else combined.

She didn't know what it was, but she knew it marked a before and after.

Now… where did it mark that difference? In what?

In her? In life? In reality itself?

She wasn't sure. All she knew was that it affected her, somehow.

That, and that it was a game changer; something wasn't the same, anymore.

And that shift was meant to become deeper and deeper, with time.

Leona had tried asking the deity in her head about it, but the Sun said nothing.

She seemed nervous, though. Leona could feel it; could feel the anxiety in her; an anxiety that clouded her mind and gripped her heart, but did not belong to her.

She was at her tether's end. She knew these Demacians had nothing to do with it, but she couldn't do anything to keep it in, to keep that annoyance in check.

So she looked at Garen as he spoke, a venomous feeling crawling up her spine.

"...We tried to have a word with Captain Lito, but-"

"What's her name?" Leona interrupted him, succeeding at silencing him for a second.

Garen blinked, surprised at the sudden interference. "Excuse me?"

"All I've heard is  _Captain Lito_ or  _Master Lito's daughter,"_ Leona rolled her eyes. "It's like she doesn't have a name, she's not a person of her own; she's someone's daughter or captain." She glared a bit at Garen. "So I'll ask again; What's her name?"

Garen's jaw muscles twitched. "Her name is Irelia."

Leona nodded, looking forward again. "Irelia Lito..."

"Yes, she-"

"How did she manage to repel the Noxian attack?" Leona asked, interrupting him again. "I've heard she fought against The Hand of Noxus herself and managed to kick her out of the city, but I never learned how."

Garen was visibly annoyed by Leona's anything-but-subtle behavior, but it was Jarvan's turn to speak. "She almost didn't make it."

Leona frowned. "What happened?"

"The Hand of Noxus-"

"Name?"

"Riven."

"Oh, good. Go on."

Jarvan tried again, though he wasn't as bothered by it as Garen. "Riven entered the Placidium, the greatest Ionian Palace, looking for soldiers who were still in one piece; for some reason, she was avoiding the fallen and sticking to those who could actually fight back."

"She was looking for a challenge," Leona mused, making Jarvan agree with her.

"And the challenge wasn't on the fields anymore, for the Ionian army was already defeated. So, while her soldiers killed off any survivors, she walked into the palace, hoping to find a worthy opponent."

Leona frowned as she thought about his words.

Jarvan went on. "There, Riven found Irelia."

"And she was the worthy opponent, I'll take it?"

Jarvan smiled at Leona. "Actually, no."

The Ra-Horak raised a brow. All of the Ra-Horak raised a brow.

"Then?" Khait inquired, asking what everyone was thinking.

"Riven humiliated Irelia. She left her at the brink of death, but someone who was there brought her back. A woman, but not exactly so." He looked at Leona with something strong shining in his eyes; it looked like curiosity. "A former celestial."

"Former?" Leona asked, finally intrigued as she ignored the uncomfortable expressions of the Elders.

"Yes; She's called Soraka, though people know her as the Starchild." Jarvan commented, "She gave up her celestial immortality just so she could come to our world and help people; make mankind better."

Leona snorted. "Guess she's having a hard time doing the latter." She mumbled, making the Ra-Horak laugh while the Sun Guard and the Elders looked as uncomfortable as ever.

The Demacians, on the other hand, reacted in opposite ways; Garen looked horrified by her comment, just as horrified as he was with the mere idea of a  _celestial,_  while Jarvan tried to fight through his laughter, refusing to laugh out loud.

"What's important here is that, just like your Goddess, this woman is a celestial." Jarvan finally said, making Leona look at him.

The Solari frowned, unsure of how to react to such new information. "Yeah, it's… interesting." She said, as she felt her chest filling up, like the Sun inside of her wanted her to remember such crucial fact.

_Guess it'll have a role to play in the future._

_Better remember her, then. The Starchild._

"So, Soraka saved Irelia's life from vanishing…" Leona said, hoping Jarvan would take the hint and continue the tale.

He looked at her and blinked once. "Oh, right!" He said, then he continued, "As the Starchild anchored her soul to our realm, Irelia raised, her father's sword with her, and battled Riven, the blade dancing in the air with her rhythm. In the end, Riven was defeated, so she had to retreat back into the Ionian fields…"

"…Where the biochemical terrors got her, along with her battalion and the remaining Ionian survivors." Leona finished for him.

"Exactly."

"So, while Irelia couldn't save her whole country, she managed to save those beyond the Placidium." Leona said, making sense of the story.

"And that's why she was appointed the Captain of the Guard, the  _Blade Dancer._ " Jarvan explained, then looked ahead as he realized they had reached the meeting room. "We're here," He said, allowing them all in before walking in himself.

"Honestly," Leona begun, somewhat ignoring King Jarvan's presence, along with a personal guard of his, Xin Zhao, if she could recall his name properly, and Garen's sister, Luxanna Crowngard. "I don't know why you don't ally with Ionia. Irelia sounds more than eager for a fight, especially if it means revenge."

"Irelia refuses to aid our cause." Garen responded, "Just like half of Ionia refuses to fight due to their pacific culture and traditions, Irelia refuses to ally with us, for she believes we're an unnecessary hindrance."

Leona raised a brow. "Why would she believe that?"

"She sees our distrust for magic as rudimentary." Garen explained.

"I believe she finds us primitive in every way possible, actually." Jarvan IV added, making the Solari look at each other, trying to contain their snickering.

Leona had an arrogant look on her face. "And I can see her point, if I'm honest."

Garen was the one who looked the more insulted. "Excuse me?"

Leona started pacing in front of him. "Crownguard, ever since we arrived, I've noticed the fear in your eyes." She stated, making both Jarvans look at her with intrigue, Lux gasping as she watched the scene displayed in front of her.

The Rakkor remained neutral.

"I don't feel-"

" _Don't lie."_ Leona commanded, her voice as authoritative as Khait's could be, the sound making the bulky man quiet.

Leona stole a glance at Luxanna and noticed the girl was  _beaming._ Trying her best to conceal it, but falling short.

_Interesting._

"As I was saying," She said, picking up the subject once more. "You're afraid, Crownguard. You're afraid of that which you do not understand." She looked at King Jarvan. "I'm Leona, a former Ra-Horak who was chosen by the Sun herself to become her Avatar in this realm of existence. Such responsibility has lead me to take my rightful position as the one, true leader of the Solari and, therefore, of the Rakkor as a people. Now, not only did my Goddess bestow such duty upon my shoulders, she also gave me something to serve her better." Her eyes swayed towards Lux. She looked a bit uneasy, probably due to already knowing where Leona's speech was aiming to.

"She also gave me power." Leona finally said as her eyes focused hard on Lux's. "Not exactly  _magic,_ but abilities of a similar nature."

She turned around and faced Garen once more. "Now, it is known that these abilities were not born from me, so they are not mine; they are borrowed tools; a gift from my Goddess, which  _you_ may consider a curse. They are  _her_ abilities, but I'm allowed to use them." An evil smirk grew on her face as she decided to torture the man a bit by adding, "And abuse them, too."

"Now," Leona went on, looking like a smart ass to almost every Demacian in the room, but nobody had the actual guts to tell her, so they remained silent and watched her go off. "I'm not saying this all to scare any of the people present in this room. By all means, you should all know I'm anything  _but_ scary." Leona said, a lopsided smile on her lips. "I'm saying this to let you all know that I could be considered part of what you despise; I'm  _one of them."_ She emphasized those words. "Perhaps the nature of my power is not exactly the same, but it could be catalogued as magic, too."

She looked at Garen. "So I understand Irelia Lito's point of view regarding your ideals and beliefs. You, Demacians, refuse to see that, perhaps, it's not magic the problem, but the fact that some people who wield it are evil, just like there are others who follow the Light. Irelia's sword technique, if it's anything like her father's, probably fuels itself with magic, so it is reasonable for her to distrust you." She had a smug smile on her mouth. "After all, you exterminate magicians, just like Noxus exterminates its' enemies."

"Don't you dare compare us to Noxus!" Garen basically shouted, making everyone in the room gasp at his sudden burst.

The Rakkor seemed ready to interfere, for he was disrespecting their leader, but it was actually Prince Jarvan who intervened. "Garen, enough!"

"How can you allow her to insult us like this?!"

"She hasn't insulted us; she's said the truth!" Jarvan spat back to a furious Garen.

"The truth?" Garen asked, incredulous. "She compared us to those  _barbarians,_ as if her  _useless tribe-"_

He grew silent when he felt his armor heat up. Garen looked at Leona, slowly.

And found molten gold inside her eyes, a glare on her face.

"I would watch my words if I were you." Leona said calmly, as she slowly circled him. "Because, just like I said, my power is not exactly magic." She eyed his armor. "You wear a magic-resistant armor, Might of Demacia." She smirked. "Mine is not exactly magic, so it's useless against me."

Garen was sweating, feeling as if he were in an oven. "I, I-"

"And you allow a lot of sunlight in, with those glass ceilings of yours." Leona looked up at it, then closed her eyes as she relished in the warmth. "And the white walls don't help; they make light bounce  _everywhere,_ so it's even stronger in here." She looked at Garen, a defiant smile on her lips. " _I'm_ stronger here." She raised a brow. "It's just  _so easy_ to make it all bounce towards you, trapping you inside my heat."

Garen fell to his knees, the heat being unbearable.

Leona walked towards him, stopping a few feet in front of the fallen man. Her glowing eyes slowly gave up, going back to normal, as she slowly released him from her hot trap. "I never meant to come here and disrespect anyone, nor harm anyone, either." She said while Garen began breathing again. "I came here to discuss a possible alliance and I still want to." She confessed as she offered him a hand.

The fallen man looked at it. He looked ready to refuse it, but then he stole a glance at his Prince and, with a sigh of defeat, accepted Leona's help and got back on his feet.

Leona smiled warmly at him. "Don't take it as an insult when I say that you can be as ruthless as Noxians; every country, every society, has its' problems, its' flaws and evils; You despise those who are different to you; Noxus knows no mercy; Ionia currently lacks balance…"

"And what about you?" Garen asked, not exactly rejecting her words as the truth.

Leona shrugged. "We are just like you, Garen, but our hatred goes towards other things." Leona admitted, making one or two of the Elders shift on their feet. "We'll never be perfect, but we can always try and be  _better._ " She said, offering him a dashing smile. "As long as we learn to accept we're not the same."

Garen didn't agree with her words and that much she knew by his expression. Still, the man was polite enough to at least lie. "You're right."

Leona looked at the rest of the people in the room, Luxanna's anxious expression making her feel intrigued, though she remained quiet about it. "So, let's make a deal, shall we?"

King Jarvan's slow, ecstatic smile answered her question.

* * *

"Are we ready to go?" Khait asked Elder Akins as they were already boarding the carriages.

The deal had been smooth; Demacia and the Rakkor were officially allies, now, making Noxus a common enemy. No war was being planned, yet, but, if Noxus were to do anything  _rash,_ the Rakkor were to respond side by side with Demacia.

Now, they had to the week-long trip back home ahead of them.

"Yes, we're ready!" Akins said to Khait, eager to leave and go back to the calm, Solari Temple.

"Good." Khait breathed out, leaving the Elders to finish boarding as he rallied his Ra-Horak inside his own carriage. He approached Leona as she was doing the same with her Sun Guard, patting her on the back as a greeting. "You did well in there, kid." A smug smile on his lips as he added, "I liked how you humiliated that big meathead."

Leona laughed as she took off the headpiece of her armor, smoothing out her hair. "What can I say? I felt like playing dirty."

Both Leona and Khait laughed at her words, but then they were interrupted by someone else. "Chosen of the Sun?" A female voice asked.

Both turned and saw Lux there, looking at them with an analyzing gaze.

Khait bowed his head a bit, " ** _Careful, you, or I'll tell Diana._** " He mumbled before leaving, making Leona roll her eyes at the stupid suggestion.

"Luxanna Crownguard, am I right?" She asked the blonde, who nodded. "It's an honor to meet you."

Lux bowed her head, deeply. "The honor is mine, Chosen."

"Actually," Leona said, scratching the back of her neck. "Just call me Leona, please. I don't like formalities."

Lux smiled. "Then I am Lux, not Luxanna."

Leona chuckled, nodding her head. "I can go with that."

"I just wanted to apologize in name of my brother." Lux confessed, her sight casted on the ground. "He can be a real…"

"Pain in the ass." Leona blurted out, making Lux look at her. She blushed, realizing she had just insulted the girl's brother. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"You  _did_ mean to and it's more than okay; that's the description that best suits him." Lux said with a no-nonsense tone, silencing Leona immediately.

"Oh," She breathed out. "I thought you'd be bothered by my behavior with your brother."

Lux shook her head no. "I was annoyed by  _his_ behavior with  _you._ " She looked at Leona with guilt in her eyes. "I really hope you don't believe all of us to be like that."

"Like I said," She placed her hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. "There's good people and bad people everywhere. Your brother isn't exactly  _bad,_ but I can already tell I like you more."

Lux chuckled. "I'm glad to hear that." She eyed the readying carriages. "Well, I won't keep you here any longer." She smiled brightly at Leona. "Safe travels, Leona. I hope to see you soon."

Leona smiled back. "Thank you, Lux." She turned, ready to board her carriage when a slightly crazy idea hit her. "Oh, by the way," She said, looking at Lux over her shoulder. "If there's some kind of  _secret_ around here that no one should know about," She said, her eyes aglow as she soaked energy from the Sun, using it only to emphasize her point and give Lux a bigger hint about what she was talking about, "It is my duty to tell you that it is safe with me."

_You're safe with me._

Lux seemed to have gotten the idea, for she blushed, that anxious expression back on her face. "It's easy to tell those who are like you apart from those who aren't, isn't it?" She muttered, knowing Leona could hear her.

Leona winked. "Light always finds light, especially in the darkness."

Lux chuckled. "Thank you, Leona. I won't forget about this."

With a wave of her hand, the former Ra-Horak boarded her carriage, allowing them all to begin their trip home.

Lux stood there, watching them leave until they were no longer visible, glad about the fact that Garen was so insulted by Leona, Prince Jarvan asked her to see them off, for it meant she got a word with the Chosen of the Sun herself, no censorship needed.

So she smiled brightly as she stood there, basking in the light of the warrior who just left.

A warrior of light, just like her.

* * *

Why was she so anxious? So  _desperate_ to be home?

In just one more day, they'd arrive at the Temple. The trip had been uneventful but, with every passing second, her desire to be back was bigger and bigger.

Images of Diana attacked her mind constantly and she had to battle the smirk that tried to sneak into her face, for she'd have no way of explaining it to her Sun Guard.

Still, she allowed herself to daydream.

_Well, nightdream, for it's currently dark, right?_

She fought the snort that tried to escape her at her own, stupid, mental joke.

She allowed herself to look at the night, at the Moon, while everyone in her carriage slept.

As she stared at the lady of the night up in the sky, she closed her eyes and pictured her lover, believing her desperation was due to a desire to be back in her arms.

And, for a moment, those dreams calmed her stormy soul, the chaos of the deity inside of her.

But then, she realized she could hear a thumping sound, like boots. Hooves, too.

Marching.

She opened her eyes, suddenly alert.

And saw a Noxian raiding party approaching them, a smiling, heavily armored, black haired man with a deadly looking axe on one hand leading them towards her.


	22. Chapter 22

"We're under attack," Leona breathed out as she counted her enemies. "We're under attack!" She shouted, waking her Sun Guard up as she thought how to proceed against seventeen enemies.

Her soldiers heard her words and got ready, trying to weaponize themselves in the small carriage as Leona peeked through the window to Khait's carriage, the one ahead of hers.

As she took a peek, carefully doing it on the window farthest from the Noxians, so as not to let them know she had seen them, her eyes fell on her former Commander, who had already seen the approaching warriors and was waiting for her to look at him.

 _We fight,_ he mouthed at her, ready to jump into battle and kill his enemies.

 _No, keep going, we stay,_ she mouthed back, determined. When she saw him ready to protest, she pointed at the Elders' carriage, somewhat showing the Commander her plans; the Elders had to reach safety, for they were a priority.

 _I'll be okay,_ she added, looking at him with a calm expression,  _Go,_ she mouthed finally, an imperative demeanor as she cut off their conversation by getting back into the carriage, picking up her Shield of Dawnbreak and her Zenith, carefully offered by one of her Guards.

She smirked as she heard the other two carriages pick up their speed, leaving them behind. Khait had obeyed her.

"It's just us in this one, folks," Leona said, strapping her shield as the carriage slowed down. "Let's show them why we don't need the extra help." She added with a smirk, making her Sun Guard roar in agreement.

The carriage didn't finish halting as Leona and her Sun Guard jumped out of it, falling into a defensive stance, the eleven soldiers and Leona creating, together, a shield wall.

The Noxians circled them as they reached them, the big one entering the circle, a smug smile on his lips as he extended his arms away from her body. "Seems you were left behind." He said, his voice rough. It reminded Leona of sandpaper.

The Chosen of the Sun took a step forwards, leaving the shield wall that had turned into a circle. It closed behind her as she stood tall, looking down at the man. "We are the ones who take care of such nuisances."

"I'd be careful with my words if I were you, Solari." The man said, reading his axe to his side.

Leona snorted. "I don't even know who you are." Then, she smirked. "But you seem to know who I am, so that speaks of who should be afraid between us two."

The man huffed a laugh. "You have more spunk than those Demacians, Sun admirer." He smiled, something vicious. "I like it."

Leona bowed dramatically. "Avatar of the Sun, at your service."

The man's smile remained. "The newly appointed Hand of Noxus."

Leona frowned, her mind going back to her meeting with the Demacians, locating his name through the several pieces of information she had received.

_Darius._

"Well, Hand of Noxus," She said as she stood idly, her arms extended to her sides so as to leave her chest in the open, defenseless.

A slow smile formed as she saw him frown in confusion.

"Try to leave a dent."

Darius' smirk was gone as he growled, the guttural sound becoming a battle cry as the Noxians rained upon the Sun Guard.

Leona tried not to worry about her soldiers, focusing on the big Noxian leader instead, as he sprinted towards her, his axe ready to strike her side.

**_Dodge it or die._ **

Judging by the size of his axe, the deity was right; her shield wouldn't protect her from such a weapon.

So she pretended to get ready for the impact, but crouched and rolled over her shield, in the axe's direction, just before the strike landed.

As she got up on her feet again, she slashed with her blade, trying to get the back of his neck, but Darius had controlled his axe's momentum, using it to spin and place his weapon right in front of Leona's, colliding them both.

He didn't bother hiding his surprise at the girl's strength, for she was able to press her sword against his axe and actually make him struggle against her. "You're strong, Solari."

She clenched her teeth, not bothering to answer.

Darius saw her struggling, "But not strong enough." And brought his other hand to his axe, pushing with both.

Leona stumbled backwards, her eyes growing in size as she saw Darius raise his axe over his head.

As he tried to bring it down on her, she allowed her body to keep falling backwards, using her own fall to impulse her into a back roll.

As she finished rolling and heard his axe hit the ground, she quickly reincorporated herself and launched her own body against his, readying her sword.

Darius saw her and prepared to catch the blade with her shoulder plate.

He didn't expect the impact as Leona bashed him in the head with her shield, making the big enemy fall to the ground.

As his back hit the floor, Leona climbed on top of him, dropping her sword so as to have her two hands free. Then, she balled them into fists and started punching him on the face, using all of her strength as she allowed all of her weight to rest on her hips, anchoring him to the ground by his middle section.

She punched him relentlessly, giving him a black eye and a bloody nose, her gauntlets working as small knives as she cut his face everywhere with each blow.

But then he caught one of her hands.

Leona tried to hit him with the other.

And Darius caught that one, too.

And, before Leona could respond, finding another way to strike him, Darius moved his head towards hers.

Before the top of his head came in contact with her nose, Leona instinctively looked up, trying to save her nose from being embedded into her brain, so Darius' headbutt found her chin.

The impact was just as painful, though, as the Chosen fell backwards, pain making her close her eyes.

Darius took advantage of her fall and inverted their previous positions, sitting on top of her and landing blow after blow on her face, bloodying her up in the same fashion she had done with him before.

Her head snapped violently to a side, her face a bloody mess, with both eyes black and a broken nose, and Darius considered it was enough as he stood up and went to look for his axe.

_Rule number one; never let your guard down._

Leona immediately got on her feet and ran towards her Zenith, for her shield was still strapped to her arm.

Darius heard her, though so he picked up his pace, quickly grabbing his axe.

As the Solari got her shield right in front of her, she concentrated on it, her eyes glowing as a circle of light was created around her.

Darius turned around and wound up his arm, ready to spin his whole body and bring his axe right to her side.

As he prepared, both hands on his battle axe, he wound himself up until he was completely twisted and spun as fast as possible, but Leona's light circle exploded all around her, the power of her abilities making him ricochet off of it, falling to the ground, losing consciousness for a moment.

Leona took advantage of his fall and ran towards her Sun Guard, aiding them in the battle. Thankfully, her Solari were all still standing, while six of the seventeen Noxians were already dead.

One Noxian who wielded a spear was about to stab one of her Guard on the chest, for his shield had fallen, but Leona interfered, reacting out of instinct; she  _threw_ her Zenith towards the spear, a rope of light forming between her hand and her blade's hilt as it tangled itself on the enemy's weapon.

Without questioning it much, Leona pulled from the light, bringing the Noxian along towards her.

As she crouched so as to let him pass, she turned and grabbed her blade, the rope disappearing from her hand and plunged her sword deep, stabbing him through his back, right where his heart should lay.

She pulled the sword out of him and allowed the Noxian to fall to the ground, nothing more than a lifeless body as she turned, ready to keep fighting.

She didn't see Darius, who had gotten up, his humongous axe between his hands, running towards her.

But one of her Guard did.

So, when he jumped high in the air, ready to bring his axe down on her, the loyal soldier ran towards Leona.

" _Die!"_  Darius roared, ready to divide Leona in two.

The former Ra-Horak didn't have time to react as she heard another scream.

" _No!"_ Her soldier shouted, pushing her to a side.

And ending his own life as he got in Darius' way and was split in two.

All of the Sun Guard, Leona included, could only watch in horror as the body that once was a man fell to the ground, half to the left and half to the right.

And then Leona lost it.

Nobody dared ask if her fury was what provoked the sudden, probably earlier than expected, break of dawn, but, as Leona, enraged, roared in fury, her eyes set ablaze, looking more like electricity and fire than just molten gold.

She pointed her Zenith blade at Darius and willed all of her power into that simple gesture.

And Sunlight suddenly surrounded him, immobilizing him as it burned his eyes, his armor transforming into a deathtrap as it heated up.

" _Retreat!"_ He roared at his remaining party as they all ran away, the man doing the same once Leona's energy subsided a bit, fatigue taking over.

And then, like all candle that has been consumed, Leona fell to the ground and darkness took over.

* * *

Diana arrived at the temple just as the break of dawn happened.

Curious. She didn't expect it to be so soon… didn't matter, anyway, for she had a bigger thing to worry about.

She ran through the eastern entrance to the temple, desperately trying to reach someone, anyone-

She crashed against Lycia as she appeared out of a hallway perpendicular to hers, both of them falling to the ground.

"Watch it!" Lycia complained, ignoring her companion's identity at first.

"Lycia!" Diana said, happy of having found someone. Lycia just stared at her curiously.

"What are you doing here? Weren't you sick and in bed?" She questioned, but Diana didn't care for whatever she had just said as she shook her head.

"No time for chit chat. I need you to call Helena, tell her to go to the Ceremony Room!" Diana exclaimed as she quickly stood up and sprinted towards the room in question, leaving a confused Lycia behind.

As she ran through the halls, she ignored her surroundings; she completely ignored how all of the Solari seemed to be rushing towards the same place as her, murmuring something about a  _Noxian raid._

She heard it, but she paid no mind to it.

So, when she arrived at the Ceremony Room and bursted through the doors, she was caught a bit off guard by the worried expressions everyone seemed to wear.

Still, she didn't allow it to bring her down.

Diana was not surprised to see all of the Elders already there, sure, she didn't really expect to look at them all sporting such a grim demeanor, but her big, good news kept her spirits up, so she didn't let it affect her.

"Mistress Sekhet, Mistress Sekhet!" She called as she ran the final steps towards her favorite teacher.

The woman in question turned around and looked at her. "Diana!" She let out, a bit of desperation on her voice as she caught Diana in a tight embrace.

As she pulled away, she examined the girl's face. "How I missed you, my dear girl!" She said, a smile slowly creeping up her lips, but her eyes remained sad.

"Mistress I've got-" She cut herself off as she noticed the worried look, the sadness and despair. "What's the matter?" She asked instead, a frown on her face.

"Oh, Diana…" The Elder breathed out, shaking her head as she closed her eyes and inhaled slowly.

"Mistress…" Diana begun, then her frown deepened as she realized what she should ask instead, for she had not spotted her in the room. "Where's Leona?"

She tried her best not to panic at the pained expression Mistress Sekhet gave her.

So she tried again. "Where's Leona?" She asked, a bit more demanding, looking around, trying to catch a glimpse of auburn hair, a golden armor.

But found nothing.

And Mistress Sekhet looked like she was ready to cry.

Diana inhaled and exhaled, slowly, trying not to lose it, but it was kind of hard.

_Oh, no._

"Diana," She turned around as she heard Khait's voice and felt his hand on her shoulder. "Do not worry."

"Khait, what's-"

"A Noxian raiding party tried to ambush us on our way here, so we're all a bit shaken up due to the attempt." Khait began explaining, his expression as serene as his tone, an interesting contrast to Diana's uneasiness due to his words.

"With Leona, we agreed that splitting in two teams would distract them from the attack, so that's what we did: The Elders and Ra-Horak took one road, Leona and her Sun Guard the other; The Noxians split in two teams, too, but lost us all quick enough; Leona should be arriving here in no time." He added, putting his lie, his half-truth on sale.

But Diana wasn't quite buying it, yet. "And how do you know?"

Khait snorted, as if he felt insulted by her questioning, like he was supposed to know everything, like he was supposed not to lie. "One of my explorers was left behind to follow Leona's carriage and ensure their safety; Were Leona's team to face danger, the explorer would report it back and we'd follow him there, but he reported our Chosen to be safe and sound, only a bit delayed."

He then grabbed her by the shoulders, thankful that the Sun Guard wasn't there to threaten their communication with the promise of eavesdropping as he said, " ** _Trust me, Diana, you'd feel it in here,_** " He placed his index finger on her chest, right where her heart laid. " ** _If she were in trouble."_**

And thus, Diana bought his lie. " ** _You're right._** " She said, breathing out slowly, trying to act normal, thankful that no one seemed to be sane enough to notice anything weird at the moment.

Khait winked and offered her an easy smile, "Don't you worry about it." He said as he patted her shoulder, then turned and walked towards his guard.

Diana smiled then, feeling relieved by the lie. She looked at Sekhet, who seemed to be calmer after hearing the Commander. "Mistress, I've made a great discovery."

Sekhet was still coming down from her fear high. "...A great..." Diana's words finally registered on her mind, so she looked at the girl, a frown on her face. "Discovery?"

Diana nodded energetically. "It will change the course of our history, my Mistress, it will turn us upside down!"

"Us?"

"The Solari, you see-"

"What are you doing here?!" An altered Eos interferes, cutting Diana off as he finished approaching them. He looked angrily at Diana, inspecting her clothes, "Why are you dressed like that?" Then his eyes fell on her khopesh, still strapped to her back. Furiously, he tried to grab it, "Why do you still have that?!"

Diana instinctively pulled away, dodging his hand. Upon lookin at his face, an expression of rage on his reddened face, Diana bowed her head slightly in fear, sheepishly. "I've got big news, my Elder."

"Big news..." he muttered angrily. "Everyone in this room who is not an Elder, leave immediately!" He bellowed, as everyone slowly, as they shifted on their feet, afraid of the Elder, escaped the room, except for eight Solari guards, one for each existing Elder, who were excused from Eos' orders, as they pledged their life to their leaders, being the most loyal warriors the old ones had.

Everyone else, the ones not excused, left, except Khait and his Ra-Horak.

Eos approached the Commander, fire on his eyes as he begun, "I demand you all leave this room right now."

The war-honed man didn't like his demeanor, his attitude; he had a bad feeling about it, "The Ra-Horak listen only to me."

"Well," Eos muttered between clenched teeth, feeling as if they were all testing his patience, or his lack of it. "Tell them to leave and follow them outside, then, Commander."

He crossed his arms in front of him. " ** _Wait outside, all of you._** " He let out in a loud voice, making the Ra-Horak exit the room. "I'm not leaving, though." He said, calmly, to the angry old man.

Eos looked as if he was about to explode. "I said-"

"And I didn't listen." Khait cut him off. "I only take orders from Leona; She's the only one with a charge superior to mine, since yours only matches it."

Eos growled. "Fine!" He roared, "You stay if it makes you happy!" He stormed over to Diana and grabbed her by the arm. "Come here!" He said as he forcedly moved her towards the back of the room, past the round table of the Elders at the center of it, towards an assembly of chairs that were laid on a line against the wall; the Elders' thrones, used when formally addressing an Acolyte, whether it is to reward them or punish them. A golden throne had been placed in the middle of all of them; Leona's throne.

But, as Eos guided them all there, dropping Diana at the stairs that were laid right before their seats, the ones they had to climb to get to their positions, he completely ignored the fact that it wasn't his right to use that throne and sat down where the Chosen should, the other Elders pointedly ignoring it as they took their rightful positions.

Still, Diana didn't fight his manhandling of her, didn't dare utter a word about his own heresy as he disrespected Leona's authority, taking her seat. Instead, she kept quiet and dropped to one knee, bowing her head.

**_Remember, I'm with you._ **

Smiling to herself, to the Goddess inside her heart.

**_Come what may._ **

Ignoring the warning tone.

The fear that choked her yet wasn't hers to feel.

The Moon was afraid.

Diana gulped as she could feel the Sun watching over her, too.

It could only mean danger.

"High Acolyte," Eos began from Leona's chair, an elbow propped on the armrest, his fingers tapping on his forehead as he frowned. "You are overstepping the boundaries I had told you to respect by wearing that armor, by wielding that blade." He arched an eyebrow. "And with no excuse whatsoever."

"My El-"

" _Silence!"_  He shouted, his voice like the crack of thunder, making the whole room shudder and tremble under his voice.

Subtly, Khait, who was loitering against the door, approached the scene, positioning himself to a side, between Diana and the Elders.

"Your insolence  _will_ be punished, Acolyte." Eos growled, making Diana bow her head with just a pointed glare.

Diana tried to breathe around the foreign lump in her throat.

_You're choking me, my Goddess._

She felt goosebumps all over her body as she could breathe again, the lump gone.

The goosebumps were hers and hers alone.

"Not only do you break the rules I imposed, you also break in here, claiming to have some  _big news,"_  Eos continued, mocking her previous words. "So now, High Acolyte, I'll give you  _one chance_ to excuse yourself and your foolish behavior."

Diana looked up at him and, feeling the watchful eye of her deity over her, covering her shoulders like a cloak, found her voice.

* * *

"Hey! No one's allowed inside." The Ra-Horak guard said as he saw a small brunette trying to stampede her way through the Rakkor forces.

"And who the Hell are you to be giving  _me_ orders, disgraceful waste of breath?" The brunette responded, as much heat on her voice as there was on her eyes, her words being slightly rushed, for she was desperate to get into that room.

"Helena?"

Helena frowned; did a Ra-Horak just identify her?

She turned and looked at the one who had called her. She tried not to snort when she saw who it was.

"Althea?"

The medic pushed through her colleagues, reaching Helena with a wild smile on her face. "Hey! You actually remembered my name." She let out, staring at the girl's face with a dumb look in her eyes, as if in a daydream.

A sly smile formed on Helena's lips as an idea popped into her mind. "How could I not?" She asked as she regarded Althea with a lazy gaze.

"Well, I don't know, I didn't think you'd be interested." Althea answered honestly with a shrug of her shoulders. "Not like I was giving up-"

"You thought wrong." Helena cut her off, making the girl swallow her sentence down.

"…What?"

"I'm…  _more_ than interested." Helena breathed out, acting all nervous. "But right now there's this big thing going on in that room," She said, looking at the room's doors. "And I  _must_ be in there…"

Althea gobbled up Helena's bait. "I could help you."

The clever brunette raised her brows, as if actually surprised. "Really?"

Althea smirked, taking a step closer to Helena as she nodded. "Really," She said lowly, one of her hands finding Helena's waist immediately.

If she had been bothered by the intimate gesture, the short haired girl didn't show it. "You know; I'd be in debt with you if you help me…"

"Really, now?" Althea tried to ask calmly, but the unexpected change in her voice's pitch gave her nervousness away. "And how would that debt be paid?"

Helena chuckled. "I can think of a thing or two." She whispered as she leaned in, barely brushing her lips against the Ra-Horak's, thankful that no other Solari was around.

Helena tried not to laugh as her plan worked perfectly, the warrior taking her through the Ra-Horak, towards the doors, distracting them all by claiming Helena had been summoned inside and letting her in.

"Be thankful that I know your name, Helena, because I'll be making you forget it when the time is right." The girl whispered to her as she let her in, a heated glare that nothing had to do with anger being shot her way.

The door closed behind her and Helena snorted.  _You wish._

Her eyes scanned the room and in no time found Diana, kneeling, looking straight into Eos' eyes.

Carefully, for she had not yet been noticed, she moved closer to the scene, adrenaline ensnaring her every limb as the electricity coursed through every vein of hers.

"My Elders," Diana began, her gaze never leaving Eos' eyes, her sight unwavering. "Would you believe me if I told you our beliefs are not what they seem?"

The man in the middle looked ready to kill her.

"Well," Mistress Sekhet intervened before Eos could, "Color me intrigued, Acolyte. Go on," She said, frowning in concentration.

"My Mistress," Diana looked at Sekhet, "I've come across certain information that proves-"

"Where?"

The Empyrean looked at Eos, confusion on her face. "Huh?"

" _Where_ did you come across this information?" Eos inquired, "Our library?" He narrowed his eyes and Diana gulped, as if she could read what he was thinking on them.

_I don't think so._

Thankfully, he didn't know otherwise.  ** _The Eternal Cycle_** was safe.

She opted for a half-truth. "I climbed Mount Targon."

All eight of the Elders, Sekhet included, even Khait, gasped. It was not common for anybody to try such a feat, but for a Solari Scholar to attempt the climb, knowing she was not worthy?

Heresy. She was walking to the butcher's block by confessing it. Perhaps Diana was blind to the consequences, shocked into it due to the awes she had encountered, but Helena could see past the veil of wonders.

And her quick mind told her what she needed to know. She was not surprised by it, really. She had expected it.

_She found the temple._

_That only means that what comes next will bury her even deeper._

"High Acolyte Diana," Eos begun, feeling empowered by the fact that she was giving him rope to strangle her with. "To climb Mount Targon without being recognized as worthy of it is  _heresy,_ of the worst kind." He smirked, but hid it behind the hand that was currently on his chin.

"What I found during my climb, my Elder, will compensate for my misbehavior." Diana said confidently, making Eos raise a brow.

"Did you make it to the top?"

"No," She begun, but she then realized that, if she confessed she had gone looking for a Temple, she'd be questioned about how she knew about it, thus her book being discovered, so she built a lie on the spot. "A creature from beyond guided me towards a Temple."

"A  _creature_ from  _beyond_?" Elder Kieran questioned.

"Continue, Scholar." Elder Akins begged, as intrigued as Sekhet.

She quickly thought of a reason why she would be outside of the Temple. "I was exercising, going through the drills our Chosen of the Sun instructed me to do every evening, one of which involved running to the base of Mount Targon and back. I was about to run back to the Temple when I saw an elderly woman slowly walking up the steps."

She halted for a moment, inspecting everyone's expressions, to see if they were buying it.

Akins even gestured for her to go on.

So she continued, "She asked for my help and I couldn't refuse; something deep inside of me ordered me to do it, so I tried to climb with her. In the end, we didn't make it to the top, but she guided me to a secret Temple of ages ago. As I inspected the Temple's door, I turned to look at the woman, to ask her about the sacred place, but she was…" She shook her head, as if unable to believe in her own words, "Gone." She frowned. "Only the cloak she wore remained, untouched, on top of my shoulders." She made eye contact with Akins. "I don't recall ever borrowing it."

The man was completely hooked, Diana knew so by how he leaned forward, his eyes glued to her figure. "Tell me about the Temple."

Diana steeled herself as she finally said what had been itching to escape her mouth, "My Elders, this Temple that I've found does not belong to the Solari."

A dead silence. An unnerving, dead silence, as the Elders looked at each other, because if Diana had found a Temple, but it didn't belong to the Solari, then that could only mean one thing.

"Diana…" Mistress Sekhet begun, not sure of how to approach the subject and ask her for the location to the Lunari Temple.

"It wasn't a Lunari Temple, either." She sentenced, her eyes a deadly dagger stuck between Eos' eyebrows.

The Elders looked at each other once more, the nervous glances being shot like Freljordan arrows.

Eos looked like he was about to explode.

"If it wasn't a Lunari Temple, either…" Elder Rohu began.

"Diana?" Akins pushed. "What was it?"

So Diana smirked. "What would you, my Elders, say if I told you our beliefs have been built on a base of lies?" She asked, going back to the first question she had asked them.

The phrasing was unwelcome. "You'd better explain yourself right this instant, Acolyte." Elder Kieran said between clenched teeth.

"Oh Diana, please, no." Helena whispered, bracing herself for what was to come.

Diana stood up, her bones made of steel, the blood on her veins liquid courage as she said what she should not have, "The Moon isn't our enemy _._ "

The Elders, Sekhet and Khait included, gasped.

"The Sun and the Moon were – _are_ –lovers." She corrected herself.

And everyone looked at her in  _horror._

"How dare you say that?!" Elder Kieran inquired, horrified.

"Have you lost your  _mind,_  Acolyte?!" Elder Lye asked, as disgusted by the idea as the rest of them.

Helena grimaced. The Sun have mercy on her soul, even Sekhet looked appalled by Diana's words.

"This is the truth; Solari and Lunari were brothers and sisters, children of two deities in love, before something split us in two." Diana added, her chin high, her shoulders squared, her chest puffed out with pride.

"Diana," Sekhet tried to reason with her. "You're being delusional."

The woman had no idea how on Runeterra was she going to save her from this one; Diana's claims had only one way of being punished.

And that way was death.

"No, I'm not." Diana denied, her frown of concentration turning into a glare of frustration.

"You've lost your mind, Acolyte!" Elder Quay shouted.

"You're denying the truth!" Diana screamed back, growing desperate under the hushed whispers of the Elders. "You're afraid of the truth!"

"This is  _heresy!_ " Elder Illiah screamed.

"You're all being blind! Blind to the veil that covers your eyes- _"_

 _"Enough!"_ Eos roared, his face crimson as he saw red, sick and tired of the woman's claims. "Guards! Seize her up!"

"What?" Diana let out seconds before two Solari guards grabbed her by the arms, other two flanking them as she struggled, trying to release herself but failing miserably.

"I've had enough of your shenanigans, heretic!" Eos roared, walking the steps towards her, the other Elders following him. "I've had enough of  _you!"_ He looked like a lunatic. "We've  _all_ had enough of  _you!"_

Diana looked desperate. "I-"

Eos silenced her with a tremendous slap.

"Ey!" Khait shouted at him, finally snapping out of his trance as he saw Leona's lover being harmed.

He moved towards them, but Eos saw him.

"No." He growled. "Guards! Seize him, too!" He barked as the other four guards moved towards the Commander of the Ra-Horak.

Khait readied himself as the guards approached and expertly brought two of them down, leaving them on the floor. The other two got their swords ready, forcing the Commander to unsheathe his, too.

"Don't make me do something we all will regret, Eos." He said between clenched teeth as he backed away from the guards, hoping to avoid fighting and thus killing the Solari.

"What would that be, Commander?" Eos asked ironically.

"Killing them." He said as he continued backing away from them.

As he cleverly backed towards Eos and Diana, he didn't notice the Elder watching him.

"You'd be out of such a situation if you had obeyed me."

Watching him, and unsheathing a knife.

Diana saw, though.

"Khait, behind you!"

But it was late.

It was already too late as Khait turned to see the problem and Eos slit his throat open.

Khait fell to his knees as he dropped his sword, his hands grasping his neck, his blood coming out of both the wound and his mouth as he drowned on it.

She only stared, feeling heat all over her, raining down on her from the glass ceiling.

Curious; when did the Sun make it to the position she was supposed to reach at Noon?

"You were a failure as a Commander and a warrior, Khait." Eos said as he watched the raven haired man's life escape his body, his soul leaving his chest in one last exhale.

The other Elders didn't know how to react as they were shocked into silence; only Kieran, Lye and Illiah were capable of reaction and not one very amicable, for they were glad Eos had done what he had done.

Helena only watched, not quite believing her eyes.

"Now,  _you."_ Eos begun while the fallen guards stood up once more.

"Enough, you crazy man!" Sekhet finally said, finding her voice amidst the chaos as she saw the murderous intents in the killer's eyes.

Eos looked at her. "Are you trying to protect Diana,  _Mistress?"_

"She's just a  _kid!_ We may still guide her to the light-"

"Protecting a  _Lunari_ is  _heresy!"_  Eos shouted. "You should be imprisoned!"

As he said that, the four remaining guards approached her, as if already guessing Eos' following order.

They knocked her out before she could protest.

Eos narrowed his eyes. "Wait." He said, making them look at him. "Take him, too." He nodded his head towards Akins.

"Me?! Why?!" He tried to ask.

"Precautions." Eos said with a smile as Akins got knocked out, too, the man and Sekhet being dragged to the Temple's dungeons, hidden underneath the building.

He turned back to Diana. "You."

The Empyrean simply gulped.

Eos smiled, something vicious on his face. "I've got an idea." He let out as he turned and went towards Leona's throne. He dismantled the seat, revealing there was a secret storage underneath it, taking out of it what looked like an iron stick.

Diana's throat ran dry, fear gripping her heart in a stranglehold as she realized it was a branding iron.

With the mark of the Lunari on its' end.

"Do you know what this is, Diana?" Eos asked her as he walked towards her, the Empyrean finding her name on his lips to be a horrible thing. "I'll answer my question for you." He added once he saw the woman wasn't willing to answer.

"This thing over here is a torture method we use with those Solari who turn to the dark mistress." He explained as he inspected the branding iron. "We mark them as Lunari, as  _traitors,_  like you, then we execute them for being followers of the false light." He smiled at her as the other Elders looked for something underneath the Elders' table.

Diana paled as she noticed they were bringing a black, iron pot with embers in it.

The thing looked hot as Hell, already.

"We always have it ready, underneath our table, so as to never be caught unprepared." Eos explained as he dipped the branding iron in the flames.

As minutes passed, it heated up enough and Diana's blood pressure fell, for she wasn't afraid, but  _terrified._

**_Do you trust me with your life?_ **

Diana closed her eyes.

Did she?

**_Let go of your fears and surrender yourself to me, Diana._ **

She didn't know whether the reward would be worth the cost or not.

Eos approximated the girl, a smile on his lips. "I'll give you a chance;" He begun, the branding iron shining an angry red, placed between his face and Diana's. "Confess you've always been a traitor and I might forgive your life."

She realized she did.

She did trust.

She didn't care about the reward.

She was happy to deliver, to pay the price.

To sacrifice herself, instead of her principles.

So she spat on Eos' face. "Praise the Moon, motherfucker."

He had had enough of her.

"Suffer."

Diana screamed as the branding iron was pressed forcefully against her forehead, the Lunari symbol being marked on her skin.

She kept screaming as tears of pain fell from her closed eyes.

As she heard Helena's screams of terror, too.

The other Elders turned to look at the intruder.

"To the dungeons with her!" Kieran shouted as the last two remaining Solari guards began moving towards her.

But the short haired girl refused to be caged like an animal, so she ran towards the door and escaped, the guards following her outside.

No one seeing what was going on in the room.

Eos laughed as he kept pressing the iron against Diana's melting skin, the guards trapping her arms, the other Elders watching the show.

He pulled away then, watching how Diana's skin stuck to his iron, her forehead having the Lunari symbol tattooed onto it, the flesh peeking out from underneath the surface, the smell of burnt meat invading their nostrils.

Diana felt like passing out; the pain had been barely endurable, the woman's sight was plagued by black spots, her head was spinning, she felt dizzy…

She knew she was not going to be alive for much longer.

She wasn't afraid anymore, though.

**_Not long now, my dear._ **

"Finish her off," Eos commanded as he watched. "I just want to enjoy the show." She sadistic man said, a cruel smile on his lips.

**_You were born with the Sun._ **

So the other Elders approached Diana.

**_You will die with the Moon._ **

Eos handed Kieran his knife.

"Goodbye, heretic." Kieran murmured as he angled the knife, ready to slit her throat.

**_But your story does not end here._ **

But doubt clouded his mind, he wasn't ready to take a life, so Elder Illiah took the weapon from his hand.

And aligned the tip of the knife with her heart.

Diana wasn't scared. Instead, she was curious, as she dizzily looked up at the sky.

_Had the Moon been on the sky all this time?_

And the knife embedded itself on her chest.

But, as it did so, Diana didn't feel pain.

Didn't see black.

Only white.

No, not white.

_Silver._

Silver light, which rained down on her from the Eclipse above her head.

She no longer felt pain, no longer screamed, no longer suffered, as she felt renewed.

Reborn.

**_Come back to life, Diana._ **

She began hearing faint screaming.

**_As someone new._ **

The silver light that had surrounded her dissipated, revealing the scene displayed all around her;

The five Elders that remained looked terrified, which she soon discovered was due to the presence of a dead body; Elder Illiah's body laid on the ground, burnt to a crisp. They all looked at him, then at her, and the fear they felt seemed to intensify.

The guards that were holding her down…

She tried to get a look at them, but saw only incinerated bodies, laying broken on the ground, just like Elder Illiah.

_What…?_

"This can't be real…" Elder Rohu murmured, backing away from Diana.

Elder Quay was trembling.

Diana frowned. She didn't understand their fear.

So she looked down at herself, at her body, her hands.

She felt her heart's beating halt when she noticed a black and silver armor covering her body.

One that looked uncannily similar to the one Skadi wore on that painting.

Her hands looked identical to the ones that had pointed to The Eternal Cycle on that dream so many nights ago.

A shaky breath escaped her mouth as she closed her eyes.

_The forthcoming Chosen of the Moon._

Eos looked at the back door just as the Solari guards returned from the dungeon. " _Kill her!"_

The Guards ran towards Diana.

And Diana unsheathed her khopesh.

She frowned as she weighted it on her hand; it felt  _different._

She twirled it around her, ready to fight.

Even if it wasn't what she desired.

"Listen to reason, Eos." She said, her voice full of power. "There's no motive why things should go this way."

" _Kill her!"_

She scoffed.  _Fine._

_Let's do it your way._

The remaining guards launched themselves over her and Diana got ready; two of them tried to attack her at the same time by her flanks, but she ran straight ahead.

Only, she didn't run.

She moved at the speed of light.

And ended positioning herself behind a third guard, accidentally.

_How?_

Without questioning it any further, she took advantage of her new position and turned, her blade pivoting with her as a deadly whirlwind.

Cutting the man's head.

She positioned herself on a defensive stance once more. "I don't want to fight." She said, but her last action had just stated otherwise.

It was a contradicting attitude, but she couldn't help it; this body felt new, this power, this energy, this raw adrenaline felt foreign and it begged to get out, out,  _out._

So she moved, allowing her body to expel that overloaded energy, that overflowing power, bringing her weaponized arm towards her, forming a semi-circle around her.

Creating a crescent moon of silver light that traveled towards the two guards that had flanked her.

One of them died by the scorching light, for it burned his head, completely melting his face. The other remained alive, for it had burned one of his arms.

He ran towards Diana, sword ready.

Before he reached her, Diana brought her blade down to the ground.

The Lunari symbol lit up on the floor and the two remaining guards tumbled towards her, Elder Quay and Elder Rohu included.

So Diana began twirling, moving herself towards the guards as she became a hurricane of death, killing them both with one same blow.

She halted her movements and turned, looking at the Elders, a glare on her face.

"Enough bloodshed."

But, before she could even react, Elder Quay and Elder Lye ran towards her, knives on their hands.

Instinctively, Diana covered her face with her arms, hoping to avoid harming the Elders, thinking that perhaps there was a chance to avoid conflict.

But as a silver shield covered her like a veil, three orbs formed around her, exploding against the attacking Elders.

Quay and Lye died immediately.

Diana watched in horror, not sure of how to proceed.

She could only stare as Rohu picked up one of their knives and slit his own throat, the panic making him claim his own life.

"What-"

The doors opened, revealing the Ra-Horak battalion that had traveled with Khait, Helena standing close to a girl –Althea, Diana remembered, –who seemed to be pushing her behind herself.

And, right in front of them all, Leona.

All bruised and battered, blood all over her face, her body, her broken, golden armor.

The confused look on her face transforming into one of horror at the scene right in front of her.

She saw Leona look at something on the floor and let out a strangled cry as she ran towards it.

Diana followed her sight.

_Khait._

"She's a traitor!" Eos hurriedly screamed. "She killed them all!"

"No…" Diana murmured, but then she looked at the scene and realized she was in a complicated situation, having the Lunari symbol on her forehead, a silver armor on her body and blood on her hands.

Dead bodies all around her.

"Wasn't her hair black?" She heard Althea whisper to Helena, realizing just then that her hearing had improved. "Why is it white now?"

_White?_

"No, not white." Helena responded, tear tracks on her face. "Silver, like her eyes."

Diana felt herself freezing.

She felt her chest heaving, her breathing quickening, her sight becoming blurry with tears.

_No._

She looked at Leona, but the warrior's eyes were focusing on her, already.

At the moment, she didn't care about Diana. Not much.

For she was glaring like a predator, her mind subconsciously marking her as the killer, the influence of Eos clouding her judgement.

How could it not, though? After all, Diana was the only one with blood on her hands and alive in the middle of the bloodshed.

She shook her head; she had to run away.

So that she did.

She willed that supernatural speed to take over her legs and she rushed through the crowd, but since she didn't know how to control those powers, she stumbled and fell as she materialized behind the group of people again, predicting her fall and using her momentum to roll and land on her feet once more.

She ran away.

And Helena tried to run after her.

" _Diana!"_

She couldn't help herself, couldn't chicken out when it came to her dearest friend.

So, in the middle of the empty hall, for now everyone was at the Ceremony Room, attending the remaining Elders, Diana stopped.

"Diana," Helena began, crying and fighting with her own breathing as she tried to get her words out. "Why? Why did this all happen?  _What_ happened?"

She was out of her mind, too much information running over and over inside her mind.

She wanted out and knew there was no way she could reason with anyone.

Not like that.

So she did what she knew best.

Without turning around, without looking at Helena, for it would break her heart in two, she said her final words to her friend.

" _Ask not the Sun why she hides,_

_When day to dark does turn._

_For her light is not for the blind,_

_And the truth your eyes will burn._

_Ask the Moon instead,_

_Why the Sun, at dusk, she sets,_

_For she's the one with answers,_

_To those questions left unanswered."_

"This is not the time for stupid riddles, Diana!" Helena began, trying to approach her friend.

But Diana was already gone as she said, "Farewell, Helena."

And as the short haired girl ran towards her friend, Diana sprinted away.

Disappearing into the early midnight.

Helena fell to her knees.

And, finally, the Guards reached her.

Then darkness.


	23. Chapter 23

Jagged breaths, her thundering heart and the constant beating of her feet on the ground.

That was all that could be heard under the dark eclipse of that temporary night.

Diana kept running, though; she did not dare stop. Not until she felt safe, away from the Hell of her past life, as long as the eclipse kept her in the shadows, away from the scorching light of the glaring Sun.

She didn't dare stop, for it meant facing the chaos she had left behind in her wake.

She couldn't even think as she kept moving, as her legs carried her  _somewhere,_ anywhere but the place she had just abandoned.

The place she had just abandoned with no intension of ever going back, of ever returning to it.

Not like she could if she actually wanted to, anyway.

 _Not long now,_ the wind seemed to breathe on her ear as she rushed to a place she didn't know, but her body craved.

Before she even realized it, she reached the hidden Temple and got inside, the door closing behind her and keeping her in that veiled reality, away from danger.

She dropped to her knees and breathed, inhaling and exhaling until her beating heart slowed down a bit.

_It will take some getting used to, this new, supernatural speed of mine._

She closed her eyes.

_A new tool to run away from trouble more effectively._

_"_ Thank you, my Goddess." She said ironically as she looked up at the ceiling, a glass dome that allowed her to see the eclipsed skies.

" ** _No problem."_**

She almost jumped out of her skin upon hearing that voice, cold as ice, a thick accent and a rolled R.

_A Freljordan accent._

Diana turned around slowly, a bit disturbed, almost fainting and growing uneasy as she saw a woman there with her.

She looked at her, letting her eyes roam all over her figure; a woman as tall as her, perhaps older. Purple greaves that hugged her legs like a second skin, pauldrons of the same color hugging her shoulders perfectly, a white linen carefully tangled all over her torso, working as a shirt and royal vambraces that matched the rest of the armor on her making the silky cloth end at her wrists with a tight support. On her head, a golden crown with the symbol of the Moon at its' center, right above her brow, a precious stone giving it a cerulean color.

The silver eyes so alike hers never wavered from hers as a lopsided smirk slowly grew on the stranger's face, an ethereal glow to her that kept Diana gaping.

_Skadi._

Diana bowed, her forehead touching the floor. "I-"

" ** _No bowing in front of me, Diana."_** The ghostly woman said, that thick accent of hers forcing the ancestor to pronounce her name in a curious way, like it was  _Deeana_ instead.

Diana immediately stood up. "I'm sorry I just-"

 _" **Hush.**_ " Skadi said with an annoyed frown on her face. " ** _I adore you, but you tend to get nervous very quickly._** "

Diana sighed. "Apologies."

The spirit smiled. " ** _That's better._** "

"Wait," She frowned as she connected the dots in her mind, realizing she had heard Skadi's voice before. "Why are you here?" She arched an eyebrow. "How, what-"

The ghost placed a hand on her shoulder and kneeled to her height. " ** _There are many things you have yet to learn, my girl._** " Her gaze softened. " ** _You should look at yourself, for starters._** "

With the ghost's guidance, Diana walked towards the big mpainting.

The Chosen of the Moon gazed at the big picture, then at the ethereal being, who smiled softly at Edlyn's representation on the wall.

"I'll take it she's still your lover?" She dared ask.

Skadi looked at her, those eyes suddenly  _alive. **"I promised her my love would go on for eternity. She promised hers would outlive mortality."**_ A lover's smile on her face.  ** _"Neither of us broke our promises."_**

Diana felt Skadi's smile as something contagious. "It makes me happy for you."

But Skadi said no more about the subject, as her delicate hands rotated the painting, revealing a mirror on the other side.

Diana's breath hitched on her mouth as she looked at herself, ignoring the ghostly reflection of her predecessor.

Her long hair, which had been black as night once, was now silver like the Moon, just like her eyes, no longer azure. The symbol of the Lunari remained on her forehead, so she gently tried to touch it, realizing she no longer felt any pain from it; the scarred flesh had smoothened out, the mark behaving more like glowing ink on her skin, a permanent, shining tattoo, than a scar.

She smirked sadly at her reflection; it was only then that she finally saw it.

The woman inside her dreams was so familiar for a reason.

After all, how could she not recognize herself?

**_"I'm sure you have a lot of questions."_ **

"I do."

**_"Then ask away."_ **

"What are you doing here?"

Skadi's frame approached her, Diana saw in the mirror. " ** _I've always been here, my dear."_**  She said in that same tone she grew used to hearing inside her head.

Diana frowned, looking at the woman and connecting the dots; there was a reason why Skadi's voice was so...

She knew it, she had heard it before.

She had been hearing it ever since entering the Temple, the first time.

"You're the one who's been guiding me, not the Moon." She stated and saw Skadi nod. She frowned, worry coating her features as she shook her head. "Then I'm not... I'm not the Ch-"

" ** _Things don't work exactly like you think they do, Diana."_**  Skadi said, beginning to circle the girl. " ** _We all obey our Goddesses, Sun and Moon, as the maximum authorities, we are their disciples."_**

She walked until she was behind Diana. " ** _But the Chosens... not until they are met by our Goddesses, not until they honour us with their touch, are we allowed to see them in their glory. Until then, previous Avatars guide the ones to come."_**

She hugged Diana from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder as they both watched their reflections, so similar and so different, at the same time. " ** _I am your guidance until our Goddess decides to take my place. That doesn't make you less; you are as great as ever, as uniquely incredible as you've always been."_**

"What are you, Skadi?" Diana murmured, her eyes fixed on the reflection of the gorgeous woman on her shoulder.

" ** _Not the Chosen, not the Goddess."_** A slow, lazy smile on her lips.  ** _"I'm whatever rests in between."_**

"And you've chosen me?"

 ** _"I have; us previous Avatars choose the ones to come, it's the task we take when we go to the other side. It's been a long time since I've found someone who was worth it; someone worth the battle we yet have to face."_** She gently placed a kiss on Diana's neck, allowing her lips to remain against her skin as she smiled; a lover's gentleness. " ** _The moment you were born, though, I knew you'd be the one."_**

She rested her forehead, the crown vanished in a foggy smoke, against Diana's temple. " ** _When I laid eyes on you, a child trapped between frozen hands, I protected you from the storm before it claimed your life, too."_**

Diana tried to face the Goddess, the Avatar, the in between, and Skadi immediately pressed her forehead against hers, making the Chosen of the Moon shut her eyes, the gentle touch being felt as accepting of that symbol on her brow.

" ** _And ever since then, I've watched over you, playing with you as the wind, as the leaves that fall from the trees, as the rain that showered you under the summer nights. Of all the stars that try to lure me in,"_** Skadi pressed her lips against the symbol on Diana's forehead. " ** _You were the one to leave me breathless."_**

Diana was still frowning. "If you talk to me... then, does Edlyn...?" She looked into Skadi's eyes, hoping for an answer.

The ghost grimaced a bit. "Well-"

The door opened abruptly and the spirit of Skadi vanished, leaving Diana physically alone.

She knew she wasn't gone, though.

She'd never be.

**_Be wary, Diana._ **

Diana made a face. How is it that she never noticed the freljordan accent before?

But no thought distracted her as she remained ready, khopesh in hand, as a shadowy figure entered the Temple.

"Diana?" A tense Leona inquired as she kept moving forward, the shadows gone from her figure, revealing her still bloody self, though tear tracks and puffy eyes adorned her face, too, now.

Diana let her guard down just a bit. "Leo-"

But Leona was then stomping her way towards her, unconsciously pushing her towards a wall with her body. "What in oblivion was that?" She eyed her up and down and Diana noticed with no short amount of concern some disgust on her expression. "What's  _this?"_ She questioned, her upper lip going upwards on one of its' sides, revealing her fanged teeth being clenched.

"This is the missing puzzle piece, Leo." Diana said animatedly, an ecstatic smile creeping up her lips. "This is what we've been overlooking-"

"Diana, go straight to the point." Leona interrupted, losing her patience. "What's the meaning of all this?"

"This is  _me,_ Leona!" Diana said, letting her emotions rule over her as she looked at her lover, her eyes shining. "This is my purpose in life! The reason why I've always been so fascinated by the Moon." She closed her eyes and smiled. "I'm the Chosen of the Moon, my love." She opened them again, smiling at Leona. "The other side of your coin."

But her smile faltered as she saw Leona slowly shake her head, an angry frown on her face. "I don't care about that, Diana." She said, her tone unnervingly annoyed.

"Then what-"

"What happened in the Temple?" Leona said, losing what remained of her cool as she searched Diana's face. "What happened to," She swallowed the lump in her throat. "What happened to Khait?"

Diana stuttered, unsure of what to say, her nerves getting the best of her. "I-"

"Did you kill him?"

"What?!" She couldn't believe the accusation. "No!" She stuttered as she mentally ran for the answer "Eos did!"

But Leona was scoffing, then frowning… Diana didn't like it. "Sure. What about the others, then? Did an old man kill them, too?"

The Chosen of the Moon frowned. "The others?"

"The Elders and the incinerated bodies." Leona explained, then lost the remaining bits of calmness that she had as she placed her hands on each of Diana's shoulders. "Diana, did you kill them?" She asked her lover, a shadow of disappointment hooding her eyes.

"I…" Diana begun, but avoided her eyes.

She swallowed hard.

She  _did_ kill them. Even if it hadn't been on purpose.

She felt Leona's hands grip her tighter. "Diana."

The Empyrean didn't like what she could hear; there was an underlying tone of aggressiveness to Leona's voice.

"Look at me."

Still, she obeyed, looking into the warrior's golden eyes.

"Did you kill them?" Leona asked, a frown making her brows furrow.

And Diana couldn't lie.

But she couldn't look at Leona as she confessed.

So she closed her eyes and painfully let out the truth.

"Yes."

She barely whispered it, but didn't dare say anymore, didn't dare breathe nor open her eyes as she felt Leona's hands slowly release her shoulders.

She heard the warrior take some slow steps away and warily, Diana opened her eyes.

Her body became too heavy for her as she saw Leona's shoulders sagging in defeat.

She felt bad.

"Why did you do it?" Leona asked her, sounding small, like a child.

And Diana then felt like a  _monster._

"I didn't mean to-"

"They had been burnt to ashes." Leona interrupted, her eyes cast on the ground as she could only see the scorched bodies on the ground, the dead Elders, her dead Commander.

The man who jumped in front of Darius just to save her life.

Tears spilled from her eyes. She had seen enough pain, enough suffering, enough death for a day.

Perhaps even for a lifetime.

"Leona," Diana begun, approaching the girl, attempting to place her free hand on her shoulder.

" _Don't touch me!"_ Leona roared as she turned around, swatting Diana's hand away.

The reaction wounded Diana more than Armin's attack with her blade's hilt.

Sadness was evident on her face as she brought her hand to her chest. "Leo-"

" _No!_ Don't  _Leo_ me!" The Solari said, tear tracks forming on her cheeks as the salty water mixed with her own blood. "Don't ever do it again!"

"But-"

"You killed them!" Leona roared as she shut her eyes, her voice cracking everywhere. "You killed them all and then ran away!"

"I didn't-"

"Don't  _lie!"_  Leona thundered as she opened her eyes and pushed Diana, making the girl's back hit the wall.

Diana gulped as she saw Leona's eyes shining bright, glowing with her fury and the magic that was caged inside of her.

_Guess it's not caged anymore._

"Chosen of the Moon..." Leona muttered between clenched teeth. She turned away and walked a few steps. She raised her head. "Chosen of the Moon," she repeated, though this time it was louder, clearer.

Diana saw her unsheathe her blade, her shield already on her forearm.

Leona turned around.

"You have committed crimes against my people. You have confessed and owned them."

She pointed at Diana with her sword.

"You murdered people in cold blood."

There were tears running down her face.

"I'll give you one chance at redemption. One chance to turn this death sentence into a punishment."

Diana's breath hitched. Leona's sword trembled.

"Beg for my forgiveness,  _heretic."_

The tone she used...

...It was the same one Eos would wield against her.

Diana hated it.

She hated how it hurt.

"Beg, on your knees, and hope the Chosen of the Sun forgives your sins."

Then silence.

Leona's damning of her soul was complete.

Diana looked at her lover, sorrow cloaking her at the sight of an armed Leona, her sword up between them, her expression distorted in a glare and tears spilling from her eyes, her whole frame shaking with despair.

The Chosen of the Moon shook her head slowly, closing her eyes and shutting Leona out for a moment.

**_I'm with you._ **

Diana's jaw feathered as she clenched her teeth; Leona had it wrong.

"You're accusing me of lies."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me, Diana."

Diana opened her eyes, a single tear escaping her eye. "I didn't murder them in cold blood."

Leona scoffed. "Then what?"

"I was defending myself!" Diana let out, "I didn't even mean to kill them!"

Leona laughed darkly "Diana, their bodies were  _ashes!_ Nothing but dust and dirt on the ground!" She smiled, but it was something evil, something vicious, something foreign on Leona. "I won't believe that it was an accident, not for a second."

Diana's eyes were glassy. "You won't believe the truth, then."

"The truth?" Leona scoffed. "You want me to believe that  _an old man_ killed the Commander of the Ra-Horak, Diana!"

"It's the truth-"

" _Shut your mouth!"_ Leona roared as she took a step forwards.

Diana brought her khopesh up, ready to deflect a blow.

Leona noticed it with anger.

It only fueled her suspicions.

"Eos was right." Leona said, shaking her head. "You turned into a Lunari."

_No._

"You are all nothing but evil."

Diana shook her head. "No." She whispered, desperately.

"On your knees or die, heretic." Leona sentenced.

"Since when are you so religious, Chosen of the Sun?" Diana inquired.

"Since you killed my father." Leona muttered, her sword pointing straight at Diana's scar.

"I didn't kill him!"

And then Leona broke, having had enough of her.

" _Stop lying_!" She roared, bring her sword down on Diana.

The Chosen of the Moon brought her blade up, deflecting the blow easily.

Though her heart had been sliced in two, in a way.

The golden warrior brought her blade down on her opponent again and again, her teeth gritting as she growled with each blow, each hack and slash.

Diana kept avoiding her attacks, dodging or deflecting, her broken heart keeping her from even attempting an attack.

But then Leona surprised her with an unexpected shield attack, bashing her skull and making her brain bounce on each wall of her head.

The Solari took the moment of distraction to her advantage and impulsed her blade towards Diana's neck.

The Empyrean, out of instinct upon seeing the rushing sword, brought her free hand up to cover herself.

And that lunar shield formed itself around her once more.

Leona saw it before the impact, but didn't have time to react, to stop her movement as her blade clashed against the shield, a burst of magic throwing her towards the open door of the temple.

Leona flew right through the doors, landing outside.

Diana lowered her hand, just then realizing what had happened.

Feeling guilty, she tried to approach the fallen warrior, though slowly, for she was wary of her lover's reactions.

"Leona,"

" _Monster_!" Leona roared as she incorporated herself, looking at Diana with pure fury in her eyes. "You're a  _monster!"_

Diana couldn't breathe as she heard Leona.

She couldn't move, couldn't think anything but the word  _no_ as the love of her life got up, ready to strike again.

She couldn't think as she saw her  _former_ lover try and run towards her, sword up, shield forgotten around her forearm, the look of a wild, rabid animal on her face.

But then, right before Leona could enter the Temple again, the doors closed on her face, the golden warrior forgotten, gone, vanished.

Diana fell to her knees and breathed.

"What... what was that?" She asked, knowing Skadi was right there with her.

Skadi materialized behind her, kneeling next to her, placing her hand on Diana's back.

 ** _"In response to your previous question, Edlyn refuses to speak to someone who does not listen. She can be as stubborn as your Leona, in that aspect. Regarding what you just saw..."_** That ghost said, her eyes going to the door before going back to Diana, a sigh escaping her lips.

" ** _Leona has been denied by Edlyn; She's not considered worthy of entering this Temple anymore."_** Skadi explained, watching Diana as she looked at her with shock all over her face.

"Did Edlyn just-"

" ** _I swear, Skadi!"_** Diana heard from somewhere behind her. " ** _I'm_ this  _close to giving up on that bitch!"_**

Skadi sighed, looking behind Diana.

The Chosen of the Moon stood up and turned, confused by the new voice resounding around her.

Her breath hitched on her mouth at the sight.

Slightly taller than them, short, unruly, auburn colored hair and a crown around her head, as golden as her vibrant eyes. Red linen hugging her legs as a second skin, brown leather boots on her feet and a golden, yet simple, oversized shirt over her torso and her crossed arms. Diana tried not to look as she noticed the shirts first two buttons undone, showing much of the skin underneath, revealing a muscular body.

Like Leona's.

But she looked  _much_ stronger.

The  _handsome_ spirit made eye contact with Diana and the frown that adorned her face subsided, her eyes softening as she gave her a lopsided smirk.

_Edlyn._

That smirk slowly grew, turning into a smile. " ** _Diana?_** " The woman asked, her piercing gaze locked on Diana's eyes, those golden ones burning themselves into the Chosen of the Moon's mind.

"Yes," Diana breathed out, unable to respond properly as she watched Edlyn.

As she  _stared._

Edlyn made an inwards motion with her arm, calling the girl. " ** _Come here, darling,"_** She said, her voice smooth as that feral smile grew wide. " ** _Let me get a good look at you."_**

Diana looked at Skadi, as if unsure whether or not to obey, and found the other ghostly figure nodding in agreement.

" ** _Come on, sweetheart!_** " An animated Edlyn encouraged as Diana approached her. " ** _I don't bite._** " She said with a smile while the Chosen of the Moon halted right in front of her.

" ** _Liar."_**

Edlyn regarded Skadi with a look that Diana swore could melt the world.

" ** _I_ won't  _bite."_**  The former Sun Avatar corrected, before looking at Diana once more.

_Pity._

Skadi gasped. " ** _Do not forget that I can hear your thoughts, Diana!_** " She scolded the woman, suppressing a laugh as she knew Diana was blushing furiously. Edlyn merely looked at her a bit surprised, then back at Diana.

" ** _Did you think of me in a dirty way, girl?_** " Edlyn murmured, letting her voice drop enough that it broke around the seams as she smiled, one of her hands going to Diana's jaw, the other to her waist.

"I may have."

Edlyn chuckled as she looked at Diana, her eyes hardening upon seeing the Lunari symbol, but she made no comment. " ** _You're breathtaking in every way imaginable._** " Edlyn approached her mouth to Diana's, making the girl's breath hitch but, before any contact could happen, Edlyn smirked, " ** _But us is a thing for another timeline, another universe, another life._** " Edlyn whispered as she planted a kiss on the corner of Diana's mouth, then placed her lips against the girl's ear. " ** _For my heart is not mine anymore; Skadi stole it centuries ago."_**  She said, gently releasing Diana and swaying towards her lover.

With that weird, violent gentleness only she could have, Edlyn grabbed Skadi by the waist, letting her left arm circle her lover, the right one going up so as to grasp her throat, then kissed her deeply, Skadi's arms snaking around her neck.

They pulled apart, but Edlyn remained close, her forehead gently laid against Skadi's, that golden crown vanished, too.

"I…" Diana mumbled, uncapable of not staring.

Skadi chuckled, " ** _Come here,"_** She said, trying to keep away from Edlyn, who only looked at her, a smile on her face as she brushed her lips against the woman's neck.

Diana approached them, watching as Edlyn let go of Skadi, not before kissing the back of her hand, a loving expression on her face.

It brought a smile to the Chosen of the Moon's face.

" ** _Diana,"_** Skadi begun, that accent transforming the girl's name. " ** _Edlyn and I are here to help you._** "

"With what?" Diana asked, confused.

" ** _With your path,"_** Edlyn explained, her eyes warmly locked on the girl's. Diana noticed a certain accent on her voice, too, but she couldn't quite place it; It wasn't rough like Skadi's, but smoother; her pronunciation was very pronounced, yet she navigated through each syllable with a softness that contrasted against Skadi's speech. " ** _You, my darling, have a long way ahead._** "

" ** _Edlyn tried to do her best with Leona,"_** Skadi said, making her lover grimace at the mention of the Chosen of the Sun. " ** _But there's no use talking to someone who's deaf._** "

" ** _It is up to you to try and make her listen; open her eyes to the truth._** "

"Why not you?" Diana asked, unsure of what her role was in all of it.

Edlyn sighed, her shoulders sagging a bit in defeat. " ** _Guiding the Chosen One has its' rules, its' certain way of working."_**  She began explaining,  ** _"I deemed her unworthy of finding, let alone entering, my Temple,_ this  _Temple, if only to protect you, to defuse the situation that had formed in here."_**

"So…?"

" ** _When we consider the Chosen One unworthy of our guidance, we can't help them anymore, not until they come to us and beg for our forgiveness."_** Skadi explained.

" ** _I considered Leona unworthy of this Temple. Therefore, unworthy of me, of Skadi, of you._** " Edlyn said and Diana swore she could see shame in Edlyn's eyes, as if she was ashamed of Leona's behavior.

As if it was her fault.

"So you can't talk to her."

Edlyn shook her head.

" ** _She cannot wield all of my power anymore, either."_**

"All of it?" Diana asked, arching an eyebrow.

Edlyn growled at the thought of Leona. " ** _She still holds my strength, my heat, but she can no longer ask the Sun to aid her cause."_**

Diana nodded in silence. It meant she could use the power of the Moon, while Leona was limited to her shield and sword.

It saddened her to realize she was sizing Leona up, already considering her an opponent.

" ** _Diana,_** " Skadi said, calling her attention, a hand already on her shoulder.

When did she approach her?

" ** _Trying times will come._** " The freljordan said, a certain sadness on her face. " ** _More than once, you will want to quit; you will want to deny the Empyreans, Edlyn and I._** "

Diana doubted it.

" ** _More than once, you will question whether what you're doing is worth it or not; you'll even find yourself at a loss, unsure of which path to take."_**

She knew it was true.

" ** _But we don't want you to forget that we will always be with you; we'll always heal your wounds, push you in the right direction, help you no matter what comes, even if you can only hear me, even if Edlyn has to limit herself to watching."_**

Diana frowned, nodding slowly. "I'll never forget it."

Edlyn walked towards her. " ** _Please, darling,"_** She begun, taking one of Diana's hands on hers and kissing her palm. " ** _Bring my protégée back to the light."_**

"I will try, but you know how stubborn she can be," Diana said with a chuckle.

Edlyn mimicked her, laughing softly. " ** _You're her ultimate weakness, Diana._** " She said, admitting the Ra-Horak did have a soft spot.  ** _"You're the only one who can make her see reason. If you can't nobody else can."_**

" ** _Our time is running out,"_**  Skadi said, " ** _We cannot stay in this world for too long; not this far from the Peak of Mount Targon."_** She explained, looking at Diana apologetically. " ** _We will have to leave you, now, but we will keep guiding you, my Chosen."_**

 ** _"Anything you wish before we leave?"_**  Edlyn asked, her arm already snaking its' way to Skadi's hip.

Diana looked at herself in the mirror. "Yes."

She then looked at her mentors.

She pointed at the mark that shone on her forehead.

"Until the Empyreans come back; until the truth is discovered and accepted; until the false light is gone, this symbol will remain on me. I will be forbidden from being an Empyrean, from being myself, until the Solari are gone. Until then, I shall be what they want me to be, I shall be what they fear, the Lunari demon, the Scorn of the Moon."

She looked down at her hands. "I'm exiling myself until I can fulfill my purpose in this life, my debt to you two, my real Goddesses, who've brought me to life and can bring me to death."

Skadi and Edlyn looked at each other. The daughter of the Sun looked a bit sad, but Skadi simply nodded, once. " ** _Very well, my girl. So it shall be._** "

And as their bodies disappeared, as the mark on Diana's forehead glowed, as her eyes grew dark around her edges, the wind howled.

The Temple grew quiet.

Diana kneeled and prayed her thanks.

She'd learn what she could from the Temple. She'd retrieve  ** _The Eternal Cycle._**

She'd make Leona listen. She'd make everyone listen.

For if they don't, she'll have to make them.

The good or the bad way.

* * *

_**End of part one.** _


	24. Chapter 24

She kept running through the dark forest in the middle of the night.

She huffed a laugh; she had always been good at running and now it seemed it was part of her routine.

But, this time, she was not running away from something.

She was running towards it.

She could feel Skadi smile at her, proudly, as she navigated through the bushy forest with ease, the memories from her ancestor, the images from a past so distant to her present helping her find the hidden path, find her way towards her objective.

Diana smirked, something proud, arrogant, cocky, as she expertly dodged each branch, each overgrown root, every one of nature's limbs that seemed to claw at her as she made her way, as she kept moving forward.

She had never looked back. Not even once.

She did not regret it.

She frowned as she slowed her pace; she suddenly felt a sudden change in the air pressure.

Something was there with her.

Diana immediately halted as she took on a defensive stance, trying to feel her enemies around her.

She couldn't see them, couldn't do more than sense them, their raw, uncanny power making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

The kind of goosebumps that spread all over her body made her wary; she had learnt it was a signal of danger; of wild, dangerous magic, of febrile anticipation of a battle to come.

She scanned the dark forest for a moment. Then, some feet away from her, something caught her eye. She squinted as she saw it, hidden underneath layers of leaves, branches and darkness; a spirally structure, purple light beaming from its' core, pulsing as if it were a corrupted heart, its' construction both natural yet from another world.

_The passage._

She didn't have much time to think as she instinctively rolled forwards over her right shoulder, immediately unsheathing her blade as something had lunged for her, failing as it fell short by mere seconds.

Diana focused her gaze on the creature; white as bone, as big and elongated as a horse, standing on its' four, crooked legs, claws that looked like talons on each extremity, a long snout with vicious fangs standing out in haphazard ways.

And violet eyes that were pinned on her, as if they could look through her.

Diana felt it; it wasn't alone.

She concentrated.

Counted three of them; one right in front of her, the other two flanking her.

She scrunched up her nose.

_Terrors._

"You're fucking ugly." She mumbled, readying herself.

As if the creature had actually comprehended her, it lunged for her as the other two followed its' example.

Diana crouched and rolled backwards, allowing the three to clash against each other as she moved away from them.

Diana chuckled. "Fucking ugly and completely brainless." She breathed out, her Crescent Blade ready to her side as she jumped towards the beasts.

They saw her coming and braced themselves for the impact, but Diana was quick thinking and coursed through them as lunar light, landing right behind them, catching them defenseless.

Diana's grip on her khopesh became tighter as she focused on it, letting the lunar power coursing through her veins move through and into the blade.

As the Crescent Blade filled with her raw power, silver light engulfed the moonsilver and Diana unleashed a tremendous strike, cutting one of the beasts in half.

The other two prepared to attack, being cleverer this time as one of them lunged for her, its' maw open and ready to bite down on her, while the other stood back, ready to attack Diana, were she to counterattack its' partner's attempt.

Diana dodged to the side and brought her blade to the ground, the lunar symbol forming on the ground for a second as she creature saw itself dragged towards her by the sheer strength of her impact on the ground.

As the beast staggered towards her, Diana pivoted, twirling once as if charging a spinning attack, only to release the power charged onto her blade on a crescent strike, a course of silvery light that made the creature explode as it reached it.

Diana covered her eyes with her free arm, protecting them from her foe's blood.

And thus, didn't see the remaining creature moving towards her.

She let out a growl of pain as it bit down hard on her shoulder, as it had aimed for her neck, but failed to reach it.

Diana pushed it away from her and allowed a lunar shield to form over her body. Then, with her supernatural speed, she rushed as lunar light towards her enemy once more.

It didn't see it coming, despite it being what she had done mere minutes ago; she landed right behind it and brought her body close to the creature, letting her shield explode against its' body.

As the creature screamed in pain, Diana jumped high in the sky, her Crescent Blade already above her, both hands on it as she readied her final strike.

With a battle cry, she brought her blade down on the beast, cutting it in half and ending its' horrendous life.

Diana landed on one knee, allowing herself a minute to breathe, but not enough for her to release her blade and inspect her wound.

She stood up then and moved towards the violet structure. Kneeling on the ground, she drew the symbol of the Moon on the dirt, big enough to cover the whole construction.

She then crouched right on front of it and whispered a prayer, allowing her power to canalize onto her marking.

As the symbol began to glow with silver light, the passage started trembling with her raw power.

After some seconds, it collapsed as if it had been a cave-in, the violet glow disappearing, the weird structure turning into a lifeless thing.

"It's done," She whispered, "The passage has been sealed."

**_This night's work is done._ **

Diana smirked, looking at the New Moon above her head, the absent Goddess.

"But there's always another night's work, though."

She allowed herself a moment to rest, to inspect that wound on her shoulder.

Collecting a bit of wood, she prepared a little camp on a clearing nearby, lighting a fire so that she could use its' light, its' warmth for a moment.

Taking a seat by the fire and taking off her shoulder plate, she inspected her wound; deep enough to draw blood, not deep enough to represent anything but pain.

_Just a scratch._

She took a knife that she had for special situations like this one and placed its' steel on the fire for a moment, allowing it to burn a hot red, her eyes glued to it.

After a minute that she took to gather some courage, she pressed the burning blade to her skin, allowing the wound to seal under the heat, her skin and herself, both hissing like snakes; the only sound audible around her.

Her life had turned into this a long time ago.

After that fated night against Leona, the night that had marked a before and an after in her life, Diana had transformed into someone else; someone who was still her, but was also a completely different person in some aspects.

She had turned into the Chosen of the Moon.

She had turned into the  _Scorn_ of the Moon.

Not the Scorn the Moon feels towards the Solari…

…But the Scorn the Solari feel towards the truth.

The Scorn born of the Moon, born of the fear of her light, of her truth.

Of her love.

Two years had gone by.

Two years since becoming the Champion of the Night.

Two years since her final encounter with Leona…

…Well, not  _exactly;_  They  _had_ crossed paths many times after that one.

But it had been the last time they had actually talked to each other, instead of just trying to murder each other.

It had been the last time Diana had had her heart in one piece.

She didn't know how it was for Leona; all she knew was that she had not felt love ever since.

After all, how could she? Her heart wasn't hers anymore and its' rightful owner only wanted to destroy it.

Leona only wanted to halt its' beating.

So after that night, Diana lost her heart and her love.

She tried to hold on tight to her hope, but…

…but after so many days, weeks, months of trying to make Leona understand, of trying to make Leona seek Edlyn and failing miserably…

…It proved to be a hard task, if not almost impossible.

So there she was, losing the last threads of hope she still grasped, but still fighting for her cause.

She had learned of other missions, of other responsibilities she should take on; creatures from the Void were entering her realm, her plane of existence.

It was not good.

It was a task for both Chosens to take on, to eliminate these creatures and to seal their ways to their world but, considering Leona was too busy attending the Solari agenda, too deaf to Edlyn's guidance, Diana knew it was a task she'd have to tackle alone.

So she worked as hard as possible, burning herself out every night if only to bring a bit more of sanity to her world, a bit more of peace, of safety.

She slept during the day.

She missed the sunlight.

But she would not bask on it, not ever again.

Not after the promise the had made to herself; she would not feel the Sun kissing her skin, not before Leona saw the truth, for she'd refuse her lover's light if she refused her own.

It had been two long, hard years without it; two years in which she would gaze at the Sun with a lover's melancholy, where she had lost her bronze skin, looking pale like the Moon.

_Fitting._

In those two years, though, she had learnt a lot.

She had learnt that her khopesh had transformed into the Chosen of the Moon's weapon, the Crescent Blade, which was made of a special material, moonsilver, and allowed her to canalize her power into it.

She had learnt about her many abilities and how to control them as she pleased.

She had learnt about the thousands of creatures that needed her, her Goddess, her truth, her light to live and survive.

She had not learnt where the Lunari hide, though.

And it frustrated her to no end.

It wasn't another of Skadi's tests; The Goddess but not, the Chosen but not, the ghost had taught her everything she knew.

She had taught her about her power, about her old language, about her abilities, about her time of day, her realm, about her duties and everything else she knew.

She had told her about her past; her life, her lover, her transition from being a normal human being into being the Chosen of the Moon… She had even told her about her death.

Sure, she had not given her  _much_ information about all that, but still, she had told her some bits.

She had taught her about the Empyrean.

And she had also told her that, since the remaining Empyrean called themselves  _Lunari_ instead, she couldn't watch over them.

She couldn't, for their adoration was born of hatred towards the Solari and their beliefs, instead of pure love towards their Goddesses.

Hell, perhaps they didn't even adore the Sun, choosing to adore only the Moon instead. In that case, then Empyreans were actually extinct.

Diana refused to let her mentor down, though: she kept looking for them and she'd keep looking for them.

Even if it meant never finding them.

Even it if meant dying before meeting them.

So there she was now, currently closing a wound that she sported on her shoulder.

Sure, she had some healing abilities. She could erase that mark from her skin in no time, but since the Moon was nowhere to be found, she knew her powers would take their time to work properly, for she was stronger at night, but weakest in her strength if the Moon was away.

She was unstoppable under a Full Moon, though.

_Not tonight's case, though. Tonight, I'm stoppable enough._

So she finished pressing the steel to her wound, using a bit of water she had in a jug to clean her skin, taking a swig afterwards.

And then she heard approaching footsteps.

She frowned immediately; she recognized that marching patron.

She let out a sigh as she placed her shoulder plate on top of her scarred skin, getting ready for battle as she tiredly got up from the ground, letting her annoyance show on her expression as the Sun Guard soldiers came to view while she twirled her Crescent Blade into position.

She regarded them all, the five of them, with a bored expression as they surrounded her, their leader coming to view as she entered the circle they all formed around the Chosen of the Moon and her.

Diana locked her gaze on her. "Chosen of the Sun," She said as a way of greeting her, though her bored, annoyed tone made it sound more like an insult.

"You're not escaping us anymore, I see." Leona said, her tone automatic, monotone, like a lifeless, mindless warrior.

It made Diana's heart squirm uncomfortably.

She gave herself a second to inspect her former lover.

Her hair had grown longer, though it had lost its' shine.

Her body had grown a bit, not in height but in size, as two years away from her allowed her to admire the work of her training; the honed muscles hidden underneath a sharp looking, golden armor.

Her face had turned harsher… The softness, gentleness that it once displayed was gone, a harder expression taking over, anger and a serious death morphing it into something new, something completely contrasting.

Something so unlike Leona, it hurt Diana to even think about it. Let alone see it on her face.

She dared not pay attention to her eyes, for she knew the light that had shone in them was gone, too.

It was dead.

The old Leona, the one that had made her fall in love, was dead.

And this impostor had taken her place.

She scowled. She had to remember that this impostor was, in fact, Leona.

_She should not be excused from her behavior, from her mistakes._

_She should be recognized as guilty._

So she reminded herself that this was the new Leona.

And she could hold no love for this version of her. She could never love such a cold, cruel person.

She was glad it was that way. It made it easier.

"I've never escaped you or your kin," Diana said, arrogance making her deep voice sound like venom. "I was just giving you all a chance to think about following me twice."

Leona raised a brow and Diana knew she had just hit a nerve as the Solari said, "Why would we ever think about it twice?" Her voice going up at the beginning of her sentence, making it clear she had been bothered by the comment.

Her voice had changed, too, didn't it? Diana didn't remember it being that deep.

Diana didn't remember it at all.

"Because I'm getting tired of killing you all." She offered, a sadistic smile on her face.

And Leona lost it.

Her eyes lit up in a golden light.

"I'll show you who will kill who in a minute." Leona growled as she started moving towards Diana.

"You're taking your time, baby."

She didn't dodge Leona as the woman faltered upon hearing the nickname, losing control at the taunt and throwing her sword against her.

Instead, Diana deflected the blow with her Crescent Blade, pushing Leona backwards.

One of the soldiers let out a battle cry as he ran towards her, sword ready.

Diana didn't even look at him as she twirled on her own feet, a Crescent Strike escaping her blade and cutting his legs off.

They could train all they wanted, but they never seemed ready to face her.

And she had lost her mercy a long time ago.

Around the time they killed her father.

But she wasn't going to think about that now. First, she was going to kill them all.

Then, just then, she might think about it.

So when he was on the ground, screaming his life out, Diana walked towards him and slowly slit his throat with the tip of her blade.

She looked up to see two other soldiers staring in horror.

She smiled at them.  _You're next,_ she mouthed.

Then she rushed towards them as lunar light, barely avoiding an attempt on her life by the Chosen of the Sun's hand.

As she landed behind them, she cut their spines with just one slash of her blade.

One strike, and two were already down.

As their bodies fell to the ground, Diana locked gazes with Leona.

The violence, the aggression swirling inside those golden eyes was enough to burn the whole world down.

" _I'll kill you,"_ Leona let out between clenched teeth.

"Well, you're taking your time doing that, aren't you?" A tired, bored Diana responded as a lunar shield formed around her lazy figure just before the two soldiers to her side attacked her.

As they clashed against her shield, they were ejected away from her. It was hard to tell whether they were still alive or not.

Diana couldn't find it in herself to care about them, though.

She kept looking at Leona as the warrior ran towards her, sword ready.

Diana knew what was coming.

As Leona approached, Diana braced herself, but allowed her to get close.

Diana prepared to receive the sword's apparent attack…

…And then dodged to her left, allowing Leona's shield attack to miss her entirely, making the warrior take a false step forward.

Diana brought her blade's hilt down on Leona's neck with all of her strength, making the warrior fall to the ground.

The impact had been strong enough to make Leona's vision foggy, black spots invading it as Diana moved to her front and crouched, getting in her sight.

"Aren't you tired of trying, Leona?" Diana asked her, "Aren't you tired of watching your little puppets die to my hand?"

"I hate you," Leona mumbled.

It surprised Diana how it didn't hurt as much as she thought it would.

Perhaps it was because she had got used to hearing her say that a long time ago.

"You hate me because you know I'm better than you," She said as she allowed her head to fall to a side, a lopsided smirk taking place as she kept regarding the fallen warrior. "I've always been better than you."

Leona growled. She actually growled, baring her teeth, molten gold on her eyes.

"You know you're no match for me." That smirk turned into a vicious, fanged smile. "You've never been."

Leona moved quickly, her hand going for Diana's ankle.

And that damned shield formed just in time, making her fly away from her.

Leona landed on her back, grunts of pain escaping her lips as Diana slowly stood up and swaggered towards her.

She stood by her former lover, not even bothering to crouch once more.

Disgust was evident on her face. "Pathetic," She mumbled, then raised a brow. "You're pathetic." She repeated, this time louder so that Leona could listen, in case she had missed it.

The Lunari moved the Solari's head away with her foot.

"Come back when you have something worthy of my time… or even better," She said, as something dark took over her features. "Don't come back at all."

Diana turned then, and walked away.

Leaving a broken, corrupted Leona behind.

The bodies of some of her soldiers surrounding her like a big laugh to her face.

* * *

Returning to the Temple after being defeated was always hard.

It made her feel like a failure.

Perhaps she was one.

But she refused to let that heretic walk away so easily.

So, after her battle with Diana, Leona retreated to the Solari Temple, to lick her wounds and go out looking for her, yet again.

Still, despite having being defeated, despite having had to travel back home with corpses instead of soldiers, Leona was received like a champion; like their champion.

It seemed the Solari didn't care she lost time after time, as long as she kept trying, as she kept believing she'd succeed, one day.

With each combat, though, with each battle, each defeat, each day that passed, her trust in herself faltered a bit more each time, making it hard to remain faithful.

But, after being received with cheers and praises, after making it to her chambers and taking a bath, two scholars helping her with cleaning and bandaging her wounds, Leona allowed herself to move towards her balcony, if only to bask in the sunlight and seek her Goddess' warmth.

She looked up at the sky.

And squinted as she tried to look at the Sun.

Why was it that she couldn't look straight at her, anymore?

When was the last time she could do it?

Should it worry her?

Perhaps it was the day; perhaps the Sun was specially strong that time.

…But still, she was her Chosen… Shouldn't she be able to look at her, anyway?

She tried not to think about it, just like she chose not to think about Helena.

She sighed as she looked into the horizon. The Acolyte worried her to no end, but there was nothing she could do.

Ever since Diana's runaway, Helena had never been the same.

Right after Diana escaped, Helena went missing for a week. Then, out of nowhere, she reappeared, but she seemed completely out of it, mentally gone, never quite answering what people said to her, always responding with nonsense and always sporting that hazy, drug like look.

It saddened Leona; had Diana's departure hit her so badly?

She wished she could do something to comfort the girl, to bring her back from that crazed state.

She closed her eyes, sighing in defeat.

She knew there was nothing she could do.

So, while Helena was gone, as dead as the girl who had been her lover, Leona honed herself in the arts of battle, letting her Ra-Horak past push her in that direction, letting her religion fuel her hatred towards the Chosen of the Moon as she learnt about her enemy, as she read about herself and her nemesis.

As she learnt what she needed to become the one to bring her down.

Yet she never could. Not even once.

Now matter how hard she tried, Diana always won.

And always spared her.

It made her furious.

Mostly because she knew she'd  _never_ spare that bitch. She had no mercy for her.

How could she, after all?

She had killed her father. Her commander.

Khait.

She could never forgive her for that.

It had broken her heart, sure, to learn the truth.

It had kept her up for nights, had made her vomit the contents of her stomach, had made her cry herself to sleep.

Had made her train during daytime, for now she couldn't even think of nights, of the Moon, without hatred boiling her blood.

So she had spent those two years mourning the spiritual death of her lover, learning about her religion and preparing for battle.

All in vain, for she was never good enough.

_Pathetic, she had called me._

The muscles of her jaw feathered.

_Pathetic._

She stormed away from her balcony, ready to train until fatigue made her pass out.

* * *

Dusk approached quickly and Diana was grateful.

From her spot underneath the shade of a big, bushy tree, she kneeled and prayed her thanks to Edlyn, feeling her skin warm up at a warm breeze that blew, knowing full well it was the woman's way of kissing her.

With a gentle smile on her face, she allowed herself to use the remaining minutes until nighttime to get ready, preparing her blade, her stuff, herself for another night's work.

As the sky grew dark, Diana moved, knowing there was a passage somewhere in that big clearing she was currently in, following a little river that was close to her, as she knew the passage was near its' end.

As she moved and the night grew dark, she started to feel weird.

Not  _wrong,_ but  _weird._

A presence.

Not otherworldly, not from the other side of the veil.

She stopped moving as she felt that presence strongly than before; she was approaching it.

She kept moving forward, but slower, remaining silent as she knew whoever was there with her, was close.

She saw a fire.

Then, she noticed.

To the fire's side, a figure.

She drew her blade.

She scanned the person, analyzed them.

Female form, white hair tied in a bun on top of her head. A steel shoulder plate on her left shoulder and a steel gauntlet on her right hand. Bandages hastily covering both arms.

She didn't have time to think, time to react as the woman picked up her blade from the ground and quickly rolled towards her, the tip of a broken, black blade being pressed against her neck.

Diana watched as red eyes focused on her in an uncannily strong way.

"How should I proceed, stranger?" The white haired girl asked Diana, her eyes scanning her for a split second. "What conflict awaits?"

Diana didn't quite know what to do; in a matter of seconds, she was placed at a disadvantage by this woman.

It had been too long since she had she seen herself in such a position; she hadn't felt so vulnerable ever since fighting against Armin in that Rite of Kor so many nights ago.

"Why is there a need for a conflict to be upon us?"

"You drew your blade as you approached, so I think I should be the one asking that question."

The rough accent, so unlike Skadi's freljordan one, yet still, so strong, so aggressive…

"What do you think,  _Noxian?"_

Diana barely had time to move away as the girl tried to pierce her neck.

Before she could even think of a strategy to follow, the white haired girl was already attacking again, that broken blade hacking and slashing against her, making Diana take step after step backwards.

The woman opted for her typical procedures, rushing as light to the stranger's back.

She noticed with some intrigue that this woman was a quick thinker, though, for she rushed fowards, too, creating a space between Diana and her.

And forming a shield much like her own around her.

This was no common opponent. It sparked Diana's curiosity.

So as the stranger turned, ready to attack, Diana raised both of her hands up in surrender.

It made the woman stop, too, though she remained ready for an attack, not quite trusting her enough.

Yet.

"I swear I actually mean no harm, Noxian."

A muscle moved on the stranger's jaw. "Don't call me that."

Diana bit her lip. "I meant no insult, either, traveler."

The stranger slowly lowered her blade a bit, but Diana could see it in her eyes; she didn't trust her at all.

So Diana placed her blade on the ground and kicked it away from her, towards the woman.

"My name is Diana, stranger. I'm-"

"The Chosen of the Moon."

Diana's eyebrows shot up as she looked at the girl with curiosity in her eyes. "Yes, that I am." She frowned. "How would you know?"

The stranger finally lowered her weapon. "It's kind of hard to miss it. You know, the symbol on your forehead."

Diana blushed. "Right." She kept forgetting she had that.

A moment of silence between the two of them.

"If you really mean no harm, I might allow you to stay on my camp for a while. If you were lying, you'll find out I'm capable of killing you." The stranger said, slowly moving towards Diana, offering her her free hand.

Diana accepted it, noticing the callouses on the hard working limb; this woman had seen many battles, it seemed. "I do not doubt that, just like you shouldn't doubt my word."

"I've been lied to many times. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt only because you're a celestial's Avatar."

 _She respects me because of my Goddess? "_ Are you a Lunari?"

The stranger snorted as she sat down by the fire. "I'm not."

"Then?" Diana asked, sitting next to her, though allowing a safe distance between the both of them.

"I just know about you and your religion and I choose to respect it."

 _Good enough for me._  "May I know your name, traveler?"

Red eyes locked on silver ones as the woman said,

"Riven. My name is Riven."


	25. Chapter 25

_Riven._

Diana frowned. She knew that name.

"I know you." She said, voicing her thoughts as she searched for the answer inside her brain; who was this girl?

"No, you don't."

"No, I do, actually," She said absentmindedly, not paying attention to the mysterious girl by her side. Then, Diana's eyes grew in size as she finally remembered. She gasped, "You're the Hand of No-"

The cold, black material of Riven's blade was carefully pressed to her pulse point, deep enough to make Diana quiet down.

"You finish that sentence and I swear I'll give the Lunari a reason to hunt me down and the Solari a reason to praise me." She muttered, her voice cold as ice and sharp as steel.

Diana's eyes remained glued to red ones; she saw a fog in them; the crazed frenzy of battle clouded them.

**_Do not test your luck with her; she's unpredictable._ **

Still, Diana was a  _gambler._

She'd always been.

That was something that no Goddess had changed; something that no destiny could ever change.

"Weren't you supposed to be dead?" She ventured, her tone as calm as a lake's water, as gentle as the cracking of the fire.

She felt the weapon pressed to her neck subside a bit. Riven's eyes became duller.

The Noxian looked away.

"Supposed, but not quite."

And then that black blade slowly moved away from Diana, its' cold darkness softly pressed against Riven's leg.

Diana kept watching her, waiting for her to continue.

Riven side eyed her after a few seconds and raised a brow. "What?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me how is it that you're here and not dead." Diana confessed, feeling brutally honest with this girl.

Riven looked at her, danger in her eyes, a warning tone to her aura. "Didn't I just tell you that I'd kill you if you kept pushing me?"

Diana shrugged, her demeanor as calm and gentle as it had been moments ago. "I've got a curious soul," She breathed out, an inviting smirk on her lips.

She tried not to think of how long it had been since she had been so soft, so careful with someone.

It had definitely been too long, though. She almost didn't remember how to do it, how to be at ease with someone.

It would take some practice, this whole human interaction thing.

Still, Riven wasn't having it, so it made it even harder. "Curiosity killed the cat." She sentenced, death wrapping around her tone like poison to a snake's bite.

But then Diana's smirk grew, slowly, something feline on her face. "But satisfaction brought it back."

Riven was slightly surprised at Diana's words; why was the Chosen of the Moon so caught up in her past?

She seemed ready to say something, but then a thunderous roar made them both turn to look in the direction of the sound.

"Fuck," Diana murmured, just then remembering where she was going before meeting the former Hand of Noxus.

As she stood up, Crescent Blade ready to her side, Riven mimicked her, eyeing her warily. "What was that?"

Diana didn't quite worry about her and her defensive stance, her eyes glued to the horizon. "My destination. Want to know more? Follow." She said absentmindedly, not realizing what she had just offered.

Riven snorted. "Farewell and good luck, Lunari." Riven said, a curious brow raised. "Such a happy accident meeting you." She added, sarcastically.

Diana shook her head. "Nothing's an accident nor a coincidence." She looked at Riven, her previous words hitting her, hard. "You-" She cut herself off, frowning as she realized how stupid it was, how she'd never convince her. "Nevermind."

Diana got ready to leave and was about to take off when suddenly Riven's free hand was grasping her arm, forcing her to stop.

"Wait."

**_Didn't she say that curiosity killed the cat?_ **

Diana tried not to smirk.

"Nevermind  _what_?" Riven asked, not caring about her departure, but minding those words she did not dare say.

Diana shook her head, realizing her time was running short. "I better get going," She said hurriedly, thus making Riven release her.

But before leaving, Diana stared into those red eyes, the stories they told and the ones they didn't dare whisper.

And finally said it. "If you end up craving an interesting night, follow the music of battle." She offered Riven an easy smile, a look of determination.

And then, in a whisper of moonlight, she was gone.

And Riven was, once again, alone.

The warrior stared into the darkness, where those monstrous sounds came from.

Where the Chosen of the Moon ran to.

A breath escaped her chest in the form of a sigh.

_What's up with that?_

_What's up with her?_

**_What's up with you?_ **

Her breath hitched on her throat. That had not been her voice.

Those were the voices of the others.

Of those who always accompanied her.

She looked around, suddenly feeling surrounded.

The dark forest was no more.

She was standing in the middle of a battleground.

Her hands were stained. Blood dripping from them.

Her breathing quickened.

**_What's up with you, Hand of Noxus?_ **

Riven shook her head,  _It's not real,_ she thought,  _It's not real,_ as she battled with her demons for the control of her mind.

She closed her eyes.

_When I open them, I'll be back where I was. The woods, the dark night, the Moon, her Chosen._

Deep inside, though, she knew that she'd still be on that death field when she opened them, so she remained blind, dread gripping her wounded heart.

The dead to her hand, the dead to the hand of others, holding her in a stranglehold.

But then another thunderous roar shook the earth, making her very bones tremble.

Forcing her eyes open.

And then she was back in the woods.

A moment of clarity inside a foggy mind.

_Nothing's an accident nor a coincidence._

Riven felt like, for the first time in a long while, she knew what she had to do. What she could do. What she wanted to do.

It wasn't very common in her life, to know the destination.

Well, she didn't know it  _yet,_ but at least she had a clue as to which road to take.

So she picked up her shattered blade, quelling the fire, following her instincts, those which had allowed her to survive, to adapt, to overcome.

And followed the trail that some nightly creature had been left behind.

* * *

**_You lost far too much time with that Noxian, Diana._ **

"Sorry,  _mother."_  Diana muttered as she sailed through the winds at the speed of light.

She could feel Skadi's disapproval, but opted not to pay attention to it, focusing on the task at hand, instead.

Still, there was something about Riven that lured her in. She wished she could have stayed a little while longer.

She knew the Noxian wouldn't follow her.

**_Enough._ **

She shook the white haired girl off her head, trying to keep her mind concentrated on what mattered at the moment; The Void, the terrors that crawled through the passage and into her side of the veil of reality.

But, focused as she may try to be, she had no way of seeing the one to her right.

So, when it lunged for her, attempting to attack her by surprise, catching her with her guard down, the Terror succeeded, bringing her down to the ground, underneath it.

Diana landed on the ground with a loud thud as her back hit the dirt, the impact forcing her breath out of her lungs.

She brought her forearm up between the beast and her, using it to cover herself and protect her face, her neck from the deadly maw right in front of her.

A scream of pain was ripped from her throat as the monster bit down on her arm, hard.

Diana swatted the beast away, its´ fangs releasing her forearm as she moved it away from her with all of her force.

Taking advantage of that split second that the Terror was distracted, Diana rolled them over, landing on top of it.

Before it could react, she pulled out her knife and stabbed the monster on its´ neck, burying the moonsilver knife deep enough, then slashing outwards, beheading the creature.

She heard others approaching her, so she quickly jumped away from the monster and to her feet. Putting the knife away, she picked up her Crescent Blade from the ground.

As she twirled it into position, she scanned her surroundings; the passage wasn't visible from her position, though she could feel its' eerie, otherworldly aura near her.

She saw the Terrors taking positions all around her. The panorama made her grit her teeth and mumble a curse.

"Fuck," Was all she could say, was all she could mutter.

As she counted seven of them.

Seven against one.

She could do well with small groups of two, even three, but…

…But if they learned from their past mistakes, then seven Terrors at the same time would prove to be problematic.

And, judging by the surprising ambush-like attack, they did learn.

So when they prepared to attack, Diana braced herself, for she knew it would hurt.

She feinted a dodge to her right, then rushed to her left, succeeding at disorienting her foes. Landing right behind one of them, she prepared a Crescent Strike, winding up her blade.

Before she could release it, though, another one lunged for her, forcing her to take a step back, preventing her attack.

"As ugly as ever, but smarter, I see." She thought out loud as she planned how to proceed.

It scared her a bit, to realize that she did not know how to act.

Still, she would try.

So, following her instincts instead of her voice of reason, Diana launched herself towards her enemies, a shield of moonlight forming around her.

She allowed herself to collide against one of them, her shield exploding by the contact, making one of the creatures die in a sudden storm of blood.

But its' death meant her shield was gone, so there was little she could do as two of them attacked her at the same time.

She tried dodging them away by taking a quick step backwards, but the Terrors saw it coming; their attacks had just been a deceit; an illusion to see her reaction, so when she took that one step backwards, a third one attacked her from behind, bringing her down to the ground.

She didn't stop moving as she landed on the ground face first, trashing and squirming so as to not leave her neck vulnerable to her enemies' fangs, for she knew it meant imminent death.

A window of opportunity opened for her as the creature moved backwards a bit, trying to focus better on her.

Taking that chance, Diana tried to rush away in the form of light, but in her nervousness, in her desperation to get a grip and the upper hand on the fight, she miscalculated, landing right over another one of the beasts.

The Terror pushed her away with one hacking movement of one of its' immense claws, scratching Diana's cheek, neck and collarbone.

Diana walked backwards as she hissed in pain, trying to focus on her enemy, but she knew she was surrounded by the remaining six of them.

She rotated slowly, moving in circles over her own feet, seeing them all approach her slowly.

She was at a dead end.

One of the Terrors looked ready to strike and she braced herself, ready to receive the blow, knowing dodging would be in vain; her only alternative now was to retaliate, but she didn't know how.

She didn't close her eyes as that awful maw, those horrid fangs, approached her face.

Her breath hitched, though, as she saw it being split in two, its' body landing right in front of her as its' blood stained her skin, her armor, her whole self.

And she was rendered speechless as she saw Riven on the other side, right behind where the beast had been, her hands on her black, uncanny blade as blood stained her, too, her eyes hyper-focused on the monster, the frenzy of battle making that blood-red in them shine even brighter, as if electricity ran through her veins instead of blood.

Those piercing eyes then moved towards her own.

"I'll guess you could use a helping hand," Riven breathed out, the adrenaline making her breathing quicken.

Diana nodded, "It'd be nice."

And that was all she needed to say.

Goosebumps spread all over Diana's skin at the sight of the devilish smirk that settled over Riven's lips upon hearing her accept her help.

And then, like an unleashed demon, the former Hand of Noxus rushed towards one of those creatures and brought her black blade up.

Diana could only stare at her while she summoned some kind of power, a green aura emerging from her blade, confusing the Terror and rendering it useless.

Then Riven herself ended it, killing him with one precise, fatal blow.

Five more to go.

Riven looked at Diana from out of the corner of her eye. "You're just going to watch, Moon Champion?"

Diana shook her head, snapping out of her trance, as she realized that Riven had just challenged her.

A competitive smirk settled on her face. "I was giving you a bit of advantage." She said, then rolled forwards, landing right next to Riven.

Right in front of the remaining five Terrors.

As if they had agreed on it, both Diana and Riven ran forwards, ready to strike, Diana ending up ahead as she was faster on her legs than the Noxian.

But then the Terrors formed a semi-circle around them, all ready to strike Diana down.

But, before the Chosen of the Moon could retreat, Riven spoke up.

" _Kneel,"_ She commanded, her voice taking on an assertiveness Diana hadn't heard, or noticed, before.

So she did as she was ordered, deciding she could, for the first time in years, listen to another human being's advice.

And, as her knee hit the ground, Riven's feet took off from it.

Diana felt the pressure of Riven's weight on her back as the warrior jumped onto her back, then propelled herself from it, going up in the air thanks to the strength of her legs.

Then, as she was high above the creatures, she forged that uncanny, magical shield around her, readying herself for a rough landing.

And Diana saw her opportunity, for Riven was not attacking, but merely distracting them all.

So she loaded up a Crescent Strike and unwind it on them all as Riven hit the ground.

And thus the five remaining enemies exploded in a crimson rain.

Only the jagged breaths of both warriors could be heard in the dark night.

Diana slowly stood up, moving towards Riven.

"That was," She breathed out, trying to calm down her beating heart. "Interesting."

Riven looked at her, those red eyes still crazed with bloodlust, but Diana noticed she was coming down from that uncanny high.

The white haired girl nodded. "Yeah, interesting."

Diana remained focused on this quirky warrior, on her eyes, her hair, her expression, the hard lines on her face…

…Then she remembered the passage.

"Shit," She muttered, her eyes scanning the dark forest.

Riven's guard was up in a split second. "Where are they coming from?"

Diana shook her head. "They're dead, but there should be a-" She saw the passage a few meters away. " _There,"_ She said, then approached it.

Riven frowned, but followed her nonetheless, her guard still up.

The Noxian stared at Diana as the silver haired woman did the same ritual as before, drawing her Goddess' symbol all around the structure and, with the power of the Moon, sealing the passage.

As the eerie force of the Void disappeared and Diana allowed herself to breathe, Riven's guard lowered a bit.

She jumped back a bit as she saw Diana drop herself to the ground, landing on her back, staring up at the Moon, her eyes then following Riven's figure, until they landed on her face.

The Moon Warrior was smiling. "Tonight's work is done."

Riven huffed a breath. "Was this all?" Diana nodded. Riven smirked. "It was easy enough."

Diana closed her eyes in relief, the adrenaline slowly leaving her body. "They keep getting better, though. I think they didn't expect me to have a partner."

Riven sat down near the Lunari. "It would explain it."

"What it doesn't explain, though, is the reason why you ended up following me," Diana said, opening her eyes and looking at Riven. "I didn't think you'd come."

"I didn't think I'd come, either," Riven confessed and Diana noticed how that bloodlust was completely gone, now.

"What changed your mind?"

Riven's eyes moved away, for she knew they'd go blank. "The inexistence of accidents and coincidences."

_She doesn't want me knowing, yet._

Diana smirked.

_Sounds fair to me._

"I told you those weren't real."

"Took me some minutes to believe you."

A huffed laugh from Diana, then silence.

And it stretched.

But neither was uncomfortable on it. It was weird; like they both were used to it. The silence, the darkness.

The loneliness.

Diana suddenly sat up, a question hitting her mind.

"What are you after, wanderer?"

Riven looked at her with an arched eyebrow; she hadn't been expecting that question. "Hm?"

Diana smirked. "You heard me."

Riven thought about her words, about that question.

She bit her lip as she decided on what to tell her. Her eyes scanned the Warrior of the Moon; Diana's long, silver hair and her silver eyes, free of judgement and filled with something else. Something on that smirk of hers, on her feline expression…

…It promised secrecy, complicity.

It offered Riven a funny sense of familiarity, as if they had been together before.

She tried not to snort. Of course they'd been together; this was the Champion of the Night and Riven was constantly up, constantly moving during nighttime.

This was the champion of the matron she had never intended to follow, but accidentally ended up following, nonetheless.

For she couldn't sleep at night.

So, after minutes of silence, she opted for telling the truth to this gentle woman who patiently waited for her.

"Redemption." Was all she offered.

_A restless soul._

"And you?" The Noxian added, "What are  _you_ after, Lunari?" She asked, no venom hiding underneath the nickname.

Diana frowned. What should she tell her?

Perhaps what was easier to explain. "Those who follow my Goddess."

Riven arched an eyebrow. "The Lunari?" Diana nodded. "You don't know where they are?"

"They went into hiding many years ago and I am unable to find them. They've shied away of even my Goddess' light, they lost the path to it, you see, so she cannot guide me towards them." Diana offered as an easy way to understand her quest.

She tried not to frown as she saw some incredulousness on Riven's demeanor. "You mean to tell me you don't really know where they hide?"

"Exactly." Diana's head lolled to a side. "Why do you ask?"

Worry was evident on Diana's face as she saw Riven's eyes grow in size while she stared at nothing in particular. Her eyes sprinted from one object to other; she was thinking, connecting dots inside her brain.

A slow smirk appeared on the Noxian's face. "It's genius." She looked at Diana. "It's genius, I tell you."

"What?"

"Just how much do you know about Ionian culture, Chosen? _"_ The uncanny soldier asked the silver one.

Diana thought for a hard minute. "Enough. Why?"

But Riven huffed and it made Diana frown. "If you knew enough, you would be the one suggesting what I'm about to suggest."

The Chosen of the Moon was confused. "Explain."

But Riven dodged her with yet another question. "Did you know about this one Ionian festivity… the  _Lunar Revel?_ " Upon seeing Diana's look of confusion, she added, "I can't believe you don't know a thing about it."

"Could you stop being so enigmatic and explain once and for all?" Diana implored, growing tired of the silly game.

It humored Riven, making her smirk as she raised her hands in surrender. "No need to get like that." She lowered her hands. "The Ionian Lunar Revel is an annual festival in which they celebrate the Lunar New Year; They have a Lunar calendar; you know?"

Diana stared at her, wide eyed.

So Riven went on. "If the Lunari are still around, I'd bet even my last belonging on Ionia being their hideout."

Diana huffed a breath, a big smile slowly forming on her lips, making her look like a looney. She shook her head, unable to believe it.

_Ionia. I've got to go to Ionia._

She looked at Riven and, somehow, that woman managed to read her mind, it seemed, for she said something that made Diana take a step backwards.

"I'll take you to Ionia."

**_What?_ **

_What?_

"What?"

Then Riven was the one nodding like a lunatic. "I'll take you to Ionia."

Diana made a face, " _You?_  Take  _me?_ To  _Ionia?_ " She asked, not quite believing what the  _Noxian_ was saying.

The venom on her words was accidentally dismissed by the Moon's Champion.

But not by the Perfect Soldier.

So Riven's upbeat expression slowly faded away, leaving an expressionless mask behind. "Yes. Me." She said in a tone just as automatic.

It made Diana blush in embarrassment for her own words. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, but-"

"But you consider it's stupid of a Noxian to pretend she can enter Ionia without dying while she tries, don't you?" Riven asked, that aggressive accent giving that personal tune to her voice, even as the rest of her remained neutral.

Diana looked away, ashamed of how she had ruined Riven's mood with her questioning and her doubts.

Her prejudices.

It terrified her, it made her squirm, how she hadn't made the soldier angry, how she didn't back down from her offer, but instead she insisted on it, even if she was blocking her out of her mind.

She didn't want to know how Riven looked when she was angry.

**_She's broken. That much is evident._ **

_But just how far does this rupture go?_

**_It's not your place to find out._ **

_But I'll do it, anyway._

"Why do you want to go to Ionia?" Diana asked, genuinely curious for this uncanny Noxian.

"I told you already."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did," Riven insisted. She leaned forward a bit, "Think hard."

Diana thought, scratching her memories in search for…

_…Redemption._

"Redemption for what?" She questioned.

And Riven's demeanor finally changed, from neutral to slightly defensive as she answered, "Do you want my help or not?"

"But I just-"

"Listen," Riven interrupted her somewhat harshly, making Diana shut up. "All you need to know is that I need to go to Ionia and that my reasons to enter the city are purely pacific; I'm not going to start some riot in there or an unnecessary bloodshed."

"All I need to know?"

Riven nodded, that intense look still on her face. "That's all you  _need_ to know. I have no reason to tell you more than that and you need no more; I can take you there, where the Lunari most certainly hide, and I can help you survive the journey."

Diana snorted. " _Survive_  the journey?"

"You're definitely going to come across some of those…"

"Terrors." Diana completed for her.

"Right, Terrors. You're definitely going to see more of those before you reach Ionia; It's a long way."

"And what makes you think I need you?"

Riven raised an eyebrow in silent question. Upon realizing Diana wouldn't admit it herself, she finally asked her, "What would have happened had I not appeared when I did, mere moments ago?"

Diana tried her best not to blush in embarrassment. "I'd have been victorious anyway."

She knew it was a lie.

"Sure." Sarcasm dripped from that one word.

"Even if you were right," Diana said, dismissing her shame and Riven's smart ass expression. "What makes you think Ionians would allow you in?"

Riven shrugged. "Let's put it this way; Let's say you're Ionian." She begun, focusing hard on Diana's silver eyes. "Let's say you celebrate the Lunar Revel, that the Moon is the one that marks the beginning and the end of a day, of your life. That you love the Moon instead of the Sun."

Diana frowned, trying to focus on Riven's words, trying to follow her train of thought.

Riven went on, "Now, let's say, one day, your biggest enemy, a  _Noxian,_ comes to you. Let's say, she brings  _company._ "

Diana scanned her companion; had she moved closer?

"Let's say said Noxian's companion is none other than the Chosen of the Moon."

Diana felt like she knew where Riven was going.

The white haired girl closed her eyes and stretched her back, easing the tension between her shoulders. "I don't know, Lunari. Perhaps it won't work; perhaps it will all be in vain, but I feel like I've got to try, at least." When she reopened them, they were still locked on Diana's, intensely. "If I was right, then you reach the Lunari and I get my chance at redemption. If I was wrong, you reach your Lunari, anyway, and I'm left empty-handed."

Riven hesitated at first, but then she offered Diana her hand.

Diana stared at it.

"What say you? Care for a partner in your travels, a helping hand in your combats, a helper for your unending search?"

Diana remained quiet, staring at both Riven's hand and Riven herself.

Sure, the Noxian was  _right_  in certain things; She couldn't face the Terrors alone anymore and, to be honest, she didn't quite know the way to Ionia. She could use her ancestor's memories, but it'd be too much work, too much energy spent on it and she'd burn out faster than usual.

And regarding what  _Riven_ wanted…

…Even if the Noxian didn't get what she was after, Diana would still reach Ionia and she would still have someone to aid her in combat.

It was a win-win situation for her.

Seconds stretched and Riven's hand remained up, her expression as calm, as neutral, as ever.

Finally, Diana decided. "First things first, you'll call me Diana, just like I'll call you Riven, because I feel as if you didn't even care enough to learn my name."

Riven's face remained neutral. "I did learn your name,  _Diana."_

"Then use it,  _Riven."_

The hint of a smirk. "I shall."

"That settles it, then."

Riven watched as Diana's hand met hers, the Lunari giving it a shake.

The white haired girl's hint of a smirk remained.

"It's going to be a long journey, Diana."

* * *

"Seems white and silver are together, now, hm?"

A smile crept up her lips as she watched the Moon, almost in a trance.

The hours passed and she still stared at it, as if in a silent dialogue.

The gentleness with which the wind caressed her face… the quietness of the night…

…She knew it was a superior being's doing. It was all  _her_ doing.

It was all Diana's doing, in a way.

So Helena closed her foggy eyes as her smile grew, as the Dawn approached, and whispered to her Goddess' lover, "Thank you."

The wind picked up, then, but just a bit, moving some strands of hair from her face.

"Let her feel the warmth of my love, let her know I still miss her."

She opened her eyes again, watching as the Moon disappeared and the Sun crept up the horizon.

"Tell her I'm still on her side."

Then, as the Moon vanished, leaving room for the Sun, for the day to begin, Helena closed her eyes and relished on her final breeze, greeting her original Goddess with a smile.

Feeling Leona's presence as the Solari approached.

Then, she heard her footsteps.

_As heavy as her heart._

She chuckled. It caught Leona's attention, as she reached the gone Scholar.

"Helena?" She questioned.

And the old Helena would have answered sarcastically. The old Helena would have asked her something back, something like  _of course, dumbass, who else could it be but me?_

But the old Helena was gone. This was the new Helena, Leona knew.

So this version of the brunette responded in her own, uncanny way, as she slowly turned her head and looked at Leona, offering her a growing smile, looking high as the clouds in the sky. "Just little old me," She mumbled.

It made Leona's heart hurt. Every interaction with the girl broke the warrior's heart, for she saw just how different things were, just how much everything that had happened affected her.

Still, she refused to release her hand, to let go of her.

She was the last person in the Temple, the only one who still talked to the crazy girl.

After all, Sekhet was gone, too.

Dead by her own protégée's hand.

A muscle in Leona's jaw feathered, but she shook off the anger, opting for sitting down next to the oblivious girl.

"How are you today?" She asked Helena, a hand instinctively going to the brunette's back, rubbing it fondly.

"As I've always been, as I'll always be." Helena responded, her eyes closed as she basked in the warm feeling on her back. Then, she cracked one open and glanced at Leona, an eyebrow up in question. "And you?"

Leona smiled sadly. "As good as ever." She offered and tried not to react when she saw Helena snort. Ignoring it, she continued, "What are you doing here so early?" She scooted closer and lowered her voice to a whisper, as if she was about to share a secret with Helena when she added, "Where you up all night, yet again?"

Helena laughed as she nodded. "I can't help myself." She approached her lips to Leona's ear and cupped her mouth with her hands, so as to avoid any eavesdropper, as if there actually was one. "It's just that she's so pretty, so gentle..."

"Who?"

Her hands fell to her sides as she said, "Skadi."

Leona frowned. "Who's Skadi?"

Helena smiled, trying not to laugh at Leona. "Nevermind."

The short haired girl tried not to smile as she felt the entity's presence all around her.

As she even felt Edlyn's curious stare.

Dismissing it as Helena's imagination, Leona played on. "And what were you talking with Skadi?"

Helena shrugged. "Oh, nothing." She looked into the horizon. "We were just chatting about how good white looks on silver." She stared Leona up, as if inspecting her. She smiled. "So much better than gold."

Leona didn't understand, but didn't quite mind it, either, so she stared off into the horizon, too, though she had to squint, for the Sun was strong. "White and silver, eh?"

Helena made a sound of agreement.

"And what would look good on gold?"

Helena looked at Leona, then.

And the woman swore the brunette was staring right into her very core, her very soul.

"All the colors of the rainbow, it seems."

Leona felt her heart trembling and she didn't know why.

She was about to say something, about to play on, but then one of her Guards approached her, so Leona stood up.

He bowed. "My Chosen, you are being summoned in the Ceremony Room."

Leona nodded. "Right away," She kneeled next to Helena. "I'll be going, now, dear, but I'll see you later, okay?"

Helena sighed. "You'll see other me."

It frustrated to no end, how she never seemed to comprehend her. Still, Leona kissed her cheek and left, leaving her behind.

Alone with the Guard.

"You have an appointment, too." He said, venom coursing through his words, dripping from his mouth as another Guard approached them.

Helena stared right into the Sun, right into Edlyn's eyes as her smile vanished and a sigh escaped her lips while the two men hoisted her up and took her to the dungeons.

* * *

Leona walked quickly, not stopping at the doors as two Solari who were standing to each of its' sides opened it up for her.

"I'm here," she breathed out as she walked in. "What is needed of me?"

"Ah, my Chosen!" Eos greeted her. "Some allies have come to aid you in your cause."

She arched an eyebrow. "My cause?"

"The never ending chase for the traitor."

_Diana._

"And who are these allies?"

Eos looked at someone to Leona's left, making her turn to look at them.

She raised her brows in surprise. She hadn't expected her.

A small smirk grew on her face

"Long time no see, Chosen of the Sun."

Leona approached her and bowed a bit.

"It's always a pleasure to see you, Luxanna Crownguard."


	26. Chapter 26

"Please, just call me Lux, Chosen." Lux said, a gentle smile on her face. "Luxanna sounds far too formal."

"And you may call me Leona, Lux." The Chosen of the Sun responded, then her voice lowered, turning into a hushed whisper, a promise of complicity and secrecy as she added, "Or have you forgotten our little chat before I left Demacia, so many days ago?"

The blonde arched an eyebrow. "Days?" Lux took a step forward, allowing her voice to drop as much as Leona's. "Years."

Leona's eyes opened wide. Had so much time passed by without her noticing?

Perhaps being so obsessed, so absorbed with a certain woman, a certain chase, had made her lost track of time.

And she hadn't recovered it ever since losing it on that eclipsed day.

"Time surely flies by."

Lux's smirk remained, even though she saw the pain, the sorrow, the burden on Leona's shoulders, all shining inside those golden eyes. "Faster than we think."

"What did you say brought you here?" Leona quickly asked, a curious frown successfully masking her feelings.

"That's a matter we'll discuss alone." Lux answered with a smile on her bright face as her eyes darted towards Eos for a split second, indicating his presence was a bother.

Leona smirked, as she understood the hidden message. She nodded, "Very well," she turned and motioned for Lux to tag along. "Follow me." She said as she began walking towards the door.

Lux followed her as Leona walked past Eos, out of the ceremony room. She picked up her pace until she was side by side with the warrior.

"I may have misinformed your Elder about my  _traveling partners."_ Whispered the blonde, without even looking at Leona as she stared straight ahead. Leona cast a curious glance in her direction.

"Oh?"

Lux smirked. "He believes some Demacian battalions are coming to aid me in aiding you. Truth is," She looked at Leona, that smirk still in place. "I came all alone."

Leona raised a brow in question. "To aid me...?"

Lux nodded. "In defeating the Scorn of the Moon."

Leona halted, watching as Lux walked for a few more steps before realizing she had stopped moving. The Demacian turned to look at her.

"What." Leona said, her eyes closed.

Lux began. "Well, you-"

"Why do Demacians think we need your help?"

Lux's curious expression turned into a frown. "Excuse me?"

Then Leona's piercing glare was on her as the warrior closed the distance between them a bit. "When did we ask for help? When did  _I_ ask for help?"

"Leona-"

"Everyone around me seems to think they know better than I do." Leona's face was almost against Lux's as her voice dropped to a growl. "Everyone should be wiser and remember nobody knows Diana better than I do."

And then Leona's glare faltered as she saw Lux's eyes grow cold and something restrain her limbs. Slowly, she looked down at her own body, but saw nothing keeping her still.

Yet she couldn't move.

She raised her brows as she noticed how sunlight was bathing her despite not being under it.

She looked up at Lux as she remembered the Light Mage's abilities.

"And you, Radiant Dawn," Lux began, her tone as amicable as ever, "Should remember that I'm your ally, not your enemy." Her eyes softened. "I never assumed I knew better, I'm just offering you my help and you'd do well in remembering that next time you feel this anger."

Seconds passed and Leona calmed down. When Lux was comfortable enough once more, she released the warrior.

"Thanks." Leona mumbled.

"I really don't want to have to do that again, Leona."

"You won't have to." She quickly let out, a slight blush covering her cheeks as her eyes were cast on the ground. "I apologize for my behavior."

She looked up upon feeling Lux's hand on her shoulder and saw the girl offering her a smile. "No harm was done." The blonde said. Then, as Leona sighed in relief, she added, "Though such outburst begs for an explanation."

The warrior felt defeated, disarmed by the mage. "Let's take a walk outside the Temple and I'll tell you what you wish to know."

Lux nodded. "Fine by me." She said, feeling a certain change in Leona's energy. What was it about Diana that she knew so well?

What was it about Diana that made her eyes grow so dark?

So they silently made their way outside, nobody daring to question the Champion of the Sun as she walked side by side with none other than Luxanna Crownguard.

And as they left the Temple, as they reached its' exterior, Lux seemed ready to listen, but Leona wasn't willing to speak yet.

So, with a shake of her head, she motioned for the blonde to keep following.

And she did.

And they walked.

And they reached a certain cliff...

"What a pretty view this place has," Lux commented upon making it to the cliff's edge, letting herself be marveled by the sight; the forest underneath them, the Sun above their head.

Leona nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah, pretty." She made her way to Lux's side, her eyes still glued to something beyond the horizon, still lost inside her brain.

She didn't notice Lux's analyzing stare as the Light Mage studied her in silence.

Well, she did notice... but only after Lux's studies were already done, too late for Leona to hide under or behind any kind of mask.

The warrior was unaware of it, though. "What are you trying to see?" She asked as she closed her eyes.

Lux smirked. "It's not what I'm trying to see."

Leona looked at her. "Then what is it?"

That smirk didn't falter as the blonde added, "It's what I can't see anymore, something that's missing."

"What do you-"

"What changed so drastically in your life," Lux began as she closed the distance between them. "That made you lose that thing that made you shine brighter than the Sun?"

"I don't-"

"You were a sight to behold, Leona. Now, you're just a reflection of that." Her head lolled to a side. "What happened?"

It scared Leona how easy it was for Lux to read her. "Is it so evident?"

Lux smiled. "Only to someone as clever as me, don't worry."

Leona smirked. "Your brother wouldn't be able to tell the difference."

And then the blonde was laughing. "He wouldn't be able to see the truth even if it was thrown at his face."

"And tell me something," Leona continued, "Are people as clever as you, or are they as dumb as your brother?"

_Should I be worried about my façade being discovered or not?_

Lux offered her a sly smile, her eyes something feline.

Leona gulped as she watched the blonde, her expression reminding her of Diana.

The old Diana. The warrior, the scholar.

The new Diana. The Chosen of the Moon, the Assassin of the Night.

Diana. The other side of her damned coin.

"Nobody is as clever as me, Leona." Lux finally breathed out, being able to read between the lines, to read her mind. "You should never forget that."

Leona smiled. "The show can go on, then." She said, as she turned to look at the sky.

"Dare I say," Lux began, as she mirrored Leona's stance. "Not even your Elders are as smart as me."

Leona was laughing, then. "Oh, please, I've known about their lack of sight for years, now."

The blonde frowned at her, kind of confused. "Oh?"

"I've been fooling them for years." She glanced at Lux out of the corner of her eye.

"And how do you know that?"

Then a sly smirk placed itself on the warrior's lips. "Because if not, the Solari would want to kill me, too, I think."

Lux's frown deepened even more. She opened her mouth, ready to question the warrior, but-

"Diana and I used to be lovers."

And Lux closed her mouth.

Leona looked at her, no trace of any emotion on her face, but curiosity as to how Lux would react.

No judgement. No anger. No fear.

No reflection of a warrior, but just a woman and her intrigue upon her honesty being laid bare.

Her truth, naked to another's eyes.

Lux blinked once. Twice. Three times.

She looked at Leona.

After some silent seconds of analyzing her, the frown subsided, leaving room for raised eyebrows and a nod of her head.

"Makes sense."

Then Leona was frowning. "How so?"

"I don't know, but it makes sense on my mind." She looked out, into the horizon. "It's poetic and paradoxical." She raised her shoulders in a short shrug. "The Sun and the Moon being lovers." Then, she frowned. "Then hating each other." She looked at Leona. "It must be a long story, how that ended up happening, right?"

Leona sat down on the cliff's edge. "It is, actually."

Lux mimicked her. "Then I'll sit right next to you and I'll watch your Goddess leave us for the day as you guide me through your past."

Leona chuckled, her eyes on the horizon and her mind somewhere else, drowning inside her memories. "You sounded just like her."

"Like the Chosen of-"

And then Leona was glaring at her. "No."

Lux watched her in silent question.

"The  _Scorn_ Of The Moon and Diana are not the same person." She turned her glare away from Lux, at the forest below them. "The Scorn Of The Moon killed my Diana. Took her place in this world."

"I think you should begin at the beginning and finish at the end."

Leona looked at her, watched as Lux smiled that sweet smile of hers, so full of light, and waited patiently for her to begin her storytelling.

So, after a sigh, Leona begun.

And she really did begin at the beginning.

Her Rite of Kor, how she met Diana, how they grew closer to each other…

Diana's Rite of Kor, Diana's confession, her own confession, every moment that followed after that.

How Diana behaved, her passions, her former secrets, so out in the daylight nowadays…

Well,  _moonlight,_ if you will.

But there was no bit of information left behind; as Leona spiraled down into her own mind, remembering how things used to be, Lux simply listened closely.

Then she told her about Darius' ambush and the latter arrival at the Temple…

And the sight that awaited her there.

The Sun seemed to be taking her time in leaving the sky; a gorgeous sunset was displayed in front of them.

"I swore I would be the one to kill her, that day." Leona finished, her eyes cold. "That is the price we both pay."

Lux frowned. "Both?"

The warrior slowly turned to look at her. "I'm not innocent, either, that much I'll confess."

The light mage remained quiet, going through all of the information she had just received. "Hm."

Leona sighed.

Lux continued. "And what about her friend?"

"Her friend?"

"Helena, I think."

Leona shook her head. "She's gone insane. Diana's departure really shook her mind."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I see it." Leona looked at her and the frustration was evident on her eyes. "I'm the only person in the Temple that keeps trying, that still tries to talk to her. No one does it anymore because she's completely out of her mind, gone. She talks nonsense."

"And why do you keep trying?" Upon feeling Leona's intent gaze on her, as the warrior thought out the question for her, to elaborate, Lux did, "After all, isn't Helena Diana's best friend? Doesn't it hurt you?"

Leona shook her head. "It would hurt me more to give up hope on her and abandon her in that labyrinthine mind of hers."

Lux made a point to remember that later. "And what kind of stuff does she say that you call her insane?"

Leona chuckled grimly. "She keeps saying nonsense, really. Like, today, before meeting you, she started rambling about how white looks good with silver, so much better than gold."

Lux raised a brow. "And what looks good on gold?"

And then Leona chuckled once more. "According to Helena?" She asked, then Lux nodded. "In her own words, all of the colors of the rainbow."

Lux remained quiet, unreadable, as she thought, as Leona laughed, as her laughter died out, as she grew uncomfortable under Lux's silent stare, her slow smile.

"What?"

Lux shook her head. "Nothing."

She tried not to pay attention to the blonde's shenanigans. "So that's my story, Light Mage." She looked into the horizon, noticing how the Sun was gone, already. "That's why I must kill the Scorn of the Moon."

"Word of your little game of cat and mouse have reached Demacia. Back home, people aren't sure whether you're the cat or the mouse, anymore."

"She spared my life last time." Leona said, the shame of a warrior taking over her expression. "So she's the cat, even if this mouse keeps chasing her down."

"Now that's curious."

"What?"

"She spared you."

"Yeah, she did."

Lux smirked. "Don't you find it interesting?"

"I think she does it only to make me angrier." She looked at Lux and explained before the blonde could ask for an explanation. "I'd rather die than be humiliated like this."

"And she keeps humiliating you."

A quiet growl. "Yes."

The Light Mage said nothing as she realized she disagreed with Leona's guess. "Well," Lux began as she stood up. "Then I think it's fortunate I decided to make this trip."

Leona frowned at her as she also got up. "Why?"

"When I heard the trouble the Chosen of the Moon was giving you, I felt the need to help you, out of the goodness of my heart." She said, smiling jokingly. "But I wanted to be the one helping, instead of letting anybody else in Demacia take that place."

"And how would you help me?"

Lux brought a hand up and sparks of light danced on her fingertips. "I have my tricks." She said, smirking. "But I'll help only if your soldiers promise the same thing you did, so many years ago."

Leona raised a brow.

"To keep quiet my little secret. Nobody in Demacia knows I'm here."

Leona raised her brows. "Oh."

"So, what do you say?"

Leona didn't quite think about it. "I say that, as long as you can keep quiet about what you've learned today," She offered Lux her hand, "It's a yes."

Lux smiled and accepted Leona's offer, shaking her hand vigorously. "It's a deal, then."

"Let's make our way back to the Temple,  _ally._ "

Lux chuckled as they walked together, side by side.

And a thought hit Leona's mind. "Why did you smile so much when I told you about Helena's rant?"

And that sly, clever smile appeared on her face again. "Maybe she's a poet inside her heart."

"What-"

"Next time you talk to her," Lux interrupted her, "Pay close attention to the details. You may be missing something big there, Leo."

_I don't think she's as crazy as you think._

Leona raised her brows in quiet question. "Okay…"

"And I've got a question for you, too."

"Ask away."

"A little while ago, you said you weren't innocent, either." As they walked, Lux looked at Leona. "That you also had a price to pay."

"Exactly."

"What have you done?"

Leona remained quiet as she walked, her eyes cast on the ground.

The trek back became silent; Leona analyzing her answer, Lux letting her take her time.

They were almost at the Temple when she finally said it.

"I killed her father."


	27. Chapter 27

"Let's play a game."

Riven raised a brow in question as she inspected the wraps around her hands and arms, careful so as not to expose the skin hidden beneath them. "A game?" She echoed, looking at the woman sat right in front of her, the flames of the little fire they lit up dancing between them.

"Yeah, a game," Diana repeated as she crossed her legs underneath her, getting more comfortable. "I'll ask you a question about yourself. If you answer it truthfully, then you get the right to ask me something back. If I answer, I get another question, and so on."

Riven snorted. "Right. As if I'd play."

Diana frowned. "Why wouldn't you?"

Riven mirrored her expression. "Why would I?"

"Aren't you at least a bit curious as to who the person you're travelling with is?"

Riven made a face. "Not really."

**_She's lying._ **

Diana raised a brow and a smirk hid on the left side of her face.

_Since when are you playing with me this game of figuring her out? I thought I was alone in this one._

**_Since she became our ally._ **

_Interesting. She intrigued a Goddess._

**_Not quite a Goddess._ **

_But quite intrigued, nonetheless._

"Who were you, Riven?"

Riven frowned. "What?"

Diana simply nodded, her feline features being accentuated by the light the flames of their fire offered them, their shadows dancing on her pale skin, creating forms and patterns on her face.

"Who were you?"

"What in Runeterra do you even mean by that question?"

Diana's face told her it made complete sense to her. "Who were you before all that's happened to you, Riven?"

Riven frowned.

Diana tried not to lose her ease.  _That's not a frown of confusion._

**_It's of anger._ **

"I'm not answering."

Diana sighed. "Riven-"

"I'm not answering." She repeated, though this time the glare was far more penetrating than mere moments ago.

It froze them all, turning the Chosen, the not-quite-a-Goddess, even the night, into stone.

So Diana admitted defeat. "Okay."

Though it made her grit her teeth.

* * *

"I used to be a nobody."

Diana immediately looked at Riven. She didn't need to ask her to repeat herself, for she knew what Riven was talking about.

She had been waiting for Riven to answer for a whole week, now.

Still, the sound of her voice was so sudden in the middle of the night, of their shared, long silence.

Riven didn't even look at her as she poked at the ground in front of her with a stick, her back to their fire, to Diana, who sat somewhat to her side.

"I used to be a farmer. A hard working one, but I wanted more than that life." Riven mumbled as she frowned at the ground. "One day, conscriptors finally noticed me. I became a soldier and, in a matter of months, the Hand of Noxus. Boram Darkwill, the former Noxian emperor, rewarded me with a runic blade made of dark stone, enchanted by a sorceress of his court."

Diana watched as Riven's hand ghosted over the blade's hilt.

"A humongous thing; heavier than a kite shield, just as broad as one."

Her frown vanished as she blankly stared at the ground.

"Perfect for me."

Diana scooted closer as a thousand questions danced around in her mind.

_And your parents?_

_What happened to Darkwill?_

_"_ Why is the blade broken?" She accidentally blurted out.

Riven looked at her. "No. It's my turn to ask a question, now."

Diana raised her brows a bit. "Go ahead."

"Who were you before becoming… yourself?"

"Before becoming the Chosen of the Moon?" She asked, hoping to settle the question.

But the way Riven narrowed her eyes…

…it unsettled her.

"Who were you before becoming this you?" Riven asked once more, her narrowed gaze making Diana believe that perhaps she was not exactly asking what she thought she was asking.

_Who was I before everything that's happened to me._

_That's what she's asking._

_Not necessarily before being Chosen. She's asking me to go even further._

_The same question I did to her._

"I was a Scholar at the Temple of the Solari." Diana said, her eyes intensely fixed on Riven's.

She saw those red eyes grow in size a little bit.

"One of the best Scholars in there, actually." She added, then looked at the fire behind them, still feeling Riven's eyes on her.

"But I was as devoted to the Sun as I was to the Moon and, as you may imagine, that became a problem rather quick."

Riven kept watching her. Diana felt her eyes on her.

She knew what it meant; Riven wanted her to keep talking, but knew she couldn't ask further.

But, since Riven had remained quiet, not telling her anything else after Darkwill naming her Hand of Noxus…

"And how did you become who you are today?" Diana finally said.

Riven turned around and ignored her.

Diana sighed.

_That's it for today._

**_But that's more than what we had before._ **

She smiled.

* * *

"I became unstoppable."

Diana frowned. She hadn't expected that.

"This blade, you see," Riven continued as she looked at Diana, then at her broadsword. "I was the only one who ever learned how to wield it. My technique became so different to anything anybody else had ever seen, so I became unstoppable."

Riven stared intently at her blade. "The runic power it had… I learned how to manipulate it in no time." She smirked. "It even, somehow, became part of me. Like," She frowned. "I don't know how to explain it, but it-"

"I think I get it."

Riven looked at Diana, "You do?"

Diana smirked as she nodded.

Silence took over.

Then,

"I never had any expertise with any kind of weapon." Diana finally said as she grabbed her khopesh and looked at it on her lap. "I was good enough with any weapon, but never the best, until I was given this blade."

She smiled sadly as her fingers touched the legend written on the moonsilver. "A gorgeous gift made just for me…"

And then the smile became a sly smirk. "I had never used anything like this blade before that day but, as soon as I took a hold of the grip, I was fearless."

She looked at Riven. "Unstoppable."

Riven smirked as she nodded. "I can tell."

And perhaps it was because of the curiosity in Riven's eyes, perhaps it was because she was feeling generous, or perhaps it was because she thought she owed it to her, so as to be both on the same page of knowledge regarding the other…

…All Diana knew was that she had no real, no apparent reason to tell her what she told her afterwards.

"The former Commander of the Ra-Horak gave it to me. Forged it specially for me."

Riven frowned. "Former?"

 _Technically, she's not asking anything about me, so I_ should  _answer. "_ Yes."

It seemed Riven's train of thought was similar to Diana's, for she seemed to be thinking her questions carefully.

"Isn't the Chosen of the Sun a Ra-Horak?"

Diana's expression didn't falter. "She used to be."

"And now, what is she?"

"A Solari."

And something in Diana's tone made Riven quiet.

And it was all for that night.

* * *

Eventually, questions stopped coming.

Still, answers kept reaching them.

Riven had refused to answer Diana's second question, but had offered an answer to an alternative question, instead.

So, for each piece of information Riven gave away, Diana did the same.

And slowly, but surely, they grew closer.

* * *

"Back in the Temple, I was the best soldier." The silver haired one whispered as they looked at the dark skies. "They even thought about sending me to the Ra-Horak."

"What stopped them?"

"The Chosen of the Sun."

"Oh."

_But why?_

She didn't ask.

* * *

"I wasn't the best fighter. I never was."

Diana looked at Riven from her position on the ground as they both stargazed. Again.

Riven went on. "What I was the best at was at being patient, at learning, at never giving up."

"So they chose you because of your willpower?"

Riven hummed an affirmative noise. "Because it made me a force to be reckoned with."

" _Made?"_

Riven swallowed.

"I don't think I have it in me, anymore."

Silence.

Then, Diana's cold hand on Riven's, their eyes still glued to the sky.

"We don't know that."

Their fingers entwined.

Riven sighed.

* * *

"I used to have a best friend."

Riven turned on her back, laying on her side to look at Diana.

"Her name was Helena."

Diana mimicked Riven's posture.

"She was my soul sister. She knew me better than anybody else in this world."

" _Was?"_

Her eyes trailed off Riven's and she ended up looking at the ground.

"When I became the Chosen of the Moon… I lost contact with her." She looked at Riven, pain in her eyes. "I don't know how she feels about me."

"I'm sure part of her is not a Solari, anymore." Riven murmured with a wink of her eye.

"I don't even know whether she's still alive or not."

Riven frowned. "What kind of dark secrets do those Temple walls hide?"

Diana's eyes grew cold. "The worst kind."

* * *

Night came. As it would usually do.

And the white haired Noxian looked at the night's sky with curiosity.

 _Curiosity,_ instead of fear. That was a first in a very, very long time.

Well, no. She'd be lying if she said this was the first time she looked at the Moon with curiosity instead of fear.

She had been looking at her like that ever since bumping into her living vessel that night so many moons ago, in the forest.

The Scorn – _Chosen,_ the Chosen –of the Moon.

Or, as she preferred it, Diana.

 _Just_  Diana. No title accompanying her name.

A sigh escaped Riven, though it was camouflaged as a long exhale through her nose.

A long time ago, she learned how to hide her emotions like that, underneath a neutral mask.

Nobody ever questioned it, nobody ever tried to take her mask off.

Until  _just_  Diana.

Her brows furrowed millimetrically at the thought of the silver haired woman.

What was it about her that had Diana so obsessed with getting to know her?

Why was she so gods-damned curious?

It made the curiosity with which she regarded the Moon disappear, leaving room for a mild annoyance.

Because nighttime meant it was time for their little game to begin, once more.

That one game they've been playing for two months, now.

It terrified her to think that the annoyance she felt was because the game had become appealing, at some point.

She started to like learning about Diana and letting Diana learn about her.

"What's on your mind?" The woman in question asked her without even looking at her as she cleaned her Crescent Blade, her back against Riven's as she bent over her blade, letting Riven use her as a backrest.

It made Riven uncomfortable, how comfortable she felt around her.

How she seemed to know there was something inside her brain at the moment.

Surely, she couldn't tell what she was thinking.

 _Yet_.

But still, she could tell she was thinking  _something._

"I was just wondering whether you were going begin asking me questions or not, since this night is being so slow in that regard." Riven said, deciding to just be honest with the woman.

Well, she had always been honest with her. Perhaps a bit evasive, but never a liar.

Diana smirked. "As if I wouldn't begin asking questions, right?"

"Right."

"Because, when I being asking you questions, then you can begin asking me back."

Riven smirked. "Right."

Perhaps that was why she never actually minded the game.

A question for an answer and for the chance of asking something back.

On and on until one of them refused to answer. Then, game over.

They had told each other basically everything.

Diana knew about her past before the Ionian invasion. All of it. She knew the solitary life Noxians have, for their life is a constant competition. She knew about her being an orphan, too.

In exchange for that information, Riven knew about Diana's past; She knew about Marcus and the fact that he was dead. She had learned about the Rite of Kor she had to participate in, she even learned about Khait.

But, just like she had never told Diana about that invasion, about  _Irelia…_

…Diana never told her about her transformation, about becoming the Chosen…

…About  _Leona,_ and whatever relationship they had.

"Well," Diana begun, "I actually already asked my question."

Riven frowned. Diana knew, so she clarified.

"Many, many nights ago. You never answered."

Riven scanned her brain for it…

She raised her brows as she remembered it.

_How did you become who you are today?_

"I know you don't sleep at night, Riven." Diana said, glancing at Riven's figure out of the corner of her eye. "I know everything you do during my Goddess' time on the sky. You cannot hide it from me."

Riven frowned.

"I know that ghosts from your past keep you awake and haunt you in your dreams."

"Sometimes they even do it while I'm open eyed."

Diana stopped cleaning her blade.

Silence stretched.

Then, the uncanny, comforting cold of Diana's hand settled on top of Riven's.

"I could be of help, you know?" She inquired. "All I need is to know-"

"What made me who I am today." Riven interrupted, making Diana silent.

So the white haired woman let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes.

"I'll tell you about it." She whispered, the image of a certain Captain of the Guard forming inside her mind, the blue haired woman of her imagination glaring at her, forcing Riven to open her eyes.

"I'll tell you about the Noxian Invasion on Ionia. The  _real_ story."

Diana moved, sitting next to Riven, facing the woman as she waited for her to begin her story.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a certain specter taking form.

She tried not to snort as she felt Skadi's presence, as she saw her take shape and sit right in front of her, also looking at Riven.

Skadi frowned. " ** _What?_** "

_Nothing._

Riven frowned, too, but at Diana. "Did the night grow colder just now?"

_She feels you._

Diana smirked. "As cold as Freljord." She said, feeling Skadi's glare hot on her face.

The white haired woman shook her head a bit, as if erasing what Diana just said, disregarding it completely, while Diana silently laughed at her own, personal, private joke.

Then, Riven's eyes grew intense under the Moon's soft light, so Diana's silent laughter died out, making the woman as quiet as the ghost which accompanied her and her Noxian ally.

"Everyone in our enemies' lines expected me to be at the vanguard, leading the attack." She huffed. "They never even saw it coming, never expected me to be leading our Zaunite forces."

As Riven's eyes closed once more, she allowed herself to dive in her mind, drowning in her own memories.

It didn't matter whether she opened them once more or not; she was not in the forest anymore.

She was with Darkwill.

_"Darkwill had planned the Noxian invasion on Ionia for days, weeks, even months."_

She stood at his office, the black iron of the Noxian armors covering her chest, her shoulders, her legs, but never her face, never her head; she wanted everyone to see her, to recognize her.

To respect her; admire her or fear her.

"Our army is ready, my Lord." She said, her voice carrying the strength of a proud Noxian. "We are ready to set sail as soon as you wish."

Her superior turned and looked at her, a vicious smile on his lips. "Let's bring Hell to their door."

Riven nodded once and allowed herself to feel dismissed as she left his office, making her way to the barracks.

" _Soldiers!"_ She roared, making everyone silent with her presence.

Without stuttering, without mumbling, she walked towards her longsword and picked it up with one hand, smirking as she still heard some soldiers gasp at her strength as she positioned the blade on her shoulders.

She looked at her brothers and sisters-in-arms.

"I hope you're all ready to leave, for Ionia has blood for Noxus."

As she finished the sentence, everyone roared, both men and women chanting  _Blood For Noxus!_ Over and over again while she made her way out.

" _It wasn't too long before we were already on Ionian grounds, after that."_

The Hand of Noxus made her way through her army's camp, checking that every battalion, every warband was ready.

Specially  _hers._

Consisting of only four other Noxians, four of the five best soldiers she had at her disposal, the Crimson Elite readied themselves for the battle, the red color of their right shoulder plate marking them as part of Riven's personal force.

She eyed them with pride, letting herself feel proud of them and the black and red armor she wore, which made her stand out as their leader.

She watched as they chatted and readied themselves.

"I still don't know why I'm not part of your Elite." She heard the remaining best soldier at her disposal say.

She turned and looked at her Second; Darius, who had been trailing after her.

"Because my Elite follows my orders and I don't need you to."

"But-"

"I think I made myself clear enough, Darius." She said, silencing the man.

He sighed. "Am I not worthy of it?"

Riven laughed. "It's not that and you know it."

He looked at her with the question in his eyes.

And she responded. "You're more than capable of being one of us, but the Crimson Elite only follow orders;  _my_ orders." She squared her shoulders. "As we grow in numbers, I start to feel the need for an assistant; someone who's basically my equal in power."

Darius frowned. "I thought Du Couteau would take that place."

Riven chuckled. "Don't make me laugh. The Du Couteau siblings are good  _assassins,_  not soldiers. They don't do well with armies." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I need you to be my Second; it is more of an honor than being part of my squadron ever will, trust me."

Darius relaxed a bit. "I'll believe you."

"And now that you mention it, I've got a special order for you to carry out in the battlefield."

She began walking around aimlessly as Darius followed, quiet so as not to miss her every command.

"I need you to be on our army's frontline and carry them into Ionia."

Darius frowned. "What?"

"You heard me."

"But that's your role to play; to guide us in battle."

Riven turned around and looked at him. "That's the Hand of Noxus' role to play." She smirked. "And, in this war, I will need you to pose as it, as me, while I work on another thing."

Darius' brows rose. "What?"

"Aren't you paying attention, soldier?" She asked him, teasingly.

Darius squared his shoulders. "I am, my Leader, but I do not comprehend your orders."

"They are very simple, soldier; You are to pretend to be the Hand of Noxus and guide our soldiers to victory while I handle other things. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Madame."

And with a nod of her head, Riven dismissed Darius and walked towards her Elite, preparing herself, too, for her task was far more difficult than Darius', as she entered their tent.

"How are we, today?" She asked them.

"As good as we will ever be," Cyrus responded, his black hair making her green eyes stand out as he counted his arrows.

"And a little bit thirsty for blood." Aryana added, her brown eyes not quite as dark as her hair or her skin, her hands carefully caressing a deadly looking whip; one of a set of twins.

Riven chuckled. "That's good to hear." She sat down with them. "Listen, Elite," She began, calling their attention as her voice dropped to a hushed whisper so that they were the only ones who could listen. "The plan's already on the works. Darius will lead the invasion; he's aware."

"What about us?" Leah asked her, her ginger hair making the flames that danced on her hands stand out.

Riven smirked at the pyromancer. "Our mission will be simplified with Darius' help, but that doesn't mean we won't meet resistance along our way."

"Good; I'd hate it if there weren't players in our game." Lucas commented, his delicate features making the scars on his face stand out abruptly.

"You'll find who to impale, Lucas, don't worry." Aryana responded to the blond, who chuckled in response.

"It would be too sad if I didn't get to stain my brand new trident with some Ionian blood, wouldn't it?"

Cyrus laughed. "How sadistic of you, to upgrade your spear and turn it into a trident."

The man with the scars smiled. "It gives the wielder a far more lethal feeling."

"Enough banter, you all!" Riven called as she laughed at them, making them quiet down. "Our  _friends_ will arrive anytime soon and I don't want them listening to your chitchat."

"Speaking of the Devil…" Leah said as she stared at an ill-looking, bald man who entered their tent.

Riven stood up. "Greetings." She said, but this man's expression…

…it made her wary of him.

The man nodded as he opened his mouth to speak. "Hello. I'll take it you're the Hand of Noxus? Riven?"

Riven nodded. "That would be me." She eyed the man up and down. "Are you the Zaunite alchemist?"

"I am." He said, his voice muffled by the wrapping around his mouth. "You may call me Singed."

Riven nodded once more, though she didn't quite pay attention to his words. "Our mission is to escort you to-"

"No."

Riven frowned. She felt her Crimson Elite flinch behind her. "Excuse me?"

"Your mission is not to escort me."

"Then…?"

"Your mission is to escort a Zaunite wagon deep into the city of Ionia while they are distracted with the battle at their door."

"A wagon?" Aryana questioned.

"Yes." Singed responded, his green eye making the dark skinned girl uneasy.

"And what does this wagon contain?" Cyrus asked him.

"Amphorae. Special ones."

"Okay…" Leah begun. "And who will be driving it?"

"Two Zaunite soldiers who came with me." Singed responded, then his eyes fell on Cyrus. "Are you an archer?"

He tried not to disrespect the mysterious alchemist with his response, but it was a hard task, considering the fact that he was filling his quiver with arrows. "Would seem so."

"I will need you to stay behind as your own group's reinforcements instead of escorting the wagon with them."

Cyrus didn't like this man. He didn't like him already giving him orders, for he only took orders from one person and that person was Riven.

So, he stood up, ready to spit something back to this man's face. "What if-"

"That's alright, Cyrus." Riven called out, making the man quiet as she looked at him, the order to stand down clear on her eyes. She looked at Singed once more. "We'll do as he says. May be a clever alternative."

Singed smiled. Riven didn't enjoy it.

"Emperor Darkwill asked me to told you that you are to leave at dusk."

And with that, he left the tent.

"Let's get this plan in order, shall we?" Riven said as she watched him go, discomfort at this man's mere presence on her tent making her frown, but her blind loyalty for Darkwill making her disregard it, shrugging it off as her lack of trust in strangers.

_"Little did I know back then, for if I had known... But I was too busy waiting for dusk to arrive."_

And, as it arrived, their mission begun.

Hidden by the darkness of the night, the Crimson Elite, except for Cyrus, begun their journey towards the heart of Ionia, flanking a shady looking wagon being driven by two Zaunite soldiers who looked as ill as the chemist.

The path remained dark and clear and everyone was starting to grow bored. Even as the Noxian attack begun, even as they heard their siblings' roars and battlecries, no enemy approached them, for no enemy even knew they were there.

Riven could feel her squadron's uneasiness about their mission. Nobody, not even her, knew what those amphorae contained. She knew what they all were thinking; What in all of Runeterra was Darkwill doing, what was he even thinking, as he ordered his best soldier and her warband to escort some stupid wagon, instead of guiding their legion to victory?

But it was what  _they_ thought. Sure, she also wondered what was it that she was escorting, but she'd never question Darkwill.

She was too stubbornly loyal to do so.

So, without leaving room for her own doubts to float into the surface, being displayed to the world, she put her mask of confidence on, smirking mischievously at her team.

And then the storm begun.

She looked at the sky, then at her friends. "Seems even nature wants to try and stop us, eh?"

Some chuckles were her only response.

"Not long now, come on." She encouraged, feeling as their spirits were somewhat lifted.

But then, as the storm grew heavier, the wagon became slower, painfully so, for the mud kept its' wheels paralyzed.

And, as they were so close to their passage into the city –some sewers which were supposed to be somewhat unprotected –they realized something was off.

The sewers were  _actually_ unguarded, more so than expected.

Uncannily so.

She heard the arrows' journey through the air, piercing the atmosphere, before she even saw it.

Riven barely had time to draw her blade and use it as a shield, covering herself from the arrow fired at her head from the dark night surrounding them.

And discovered with a bit of surprise that they were surrounded by a humongous group of Ionian soldiers.

To Hell with their stealth and their plan; they had been discovered, their plans ruined.

Now, the mission had transformed, their plans altered.

No tranquil escorting. Not anymore.

Now it was a battle for survival.

"Nowhere to go, Noxian." She heard a rather authoritative voice say.

A female, strong voice.

Riven's eyes moved towards the owner of such words.

She smirked as she saw her.

"Where would I want to be if it wasn't right here, with the chance of fighting Master Lito's daughter?"

"I'll tell you where you  _should_ be," Irelia said, her voice devoid of any kind of joy, for she was not happy with the encounter. "Out of my country."

Riven chuckled. "Tired, already?"

"Last chance to leave alive, Noxian."

Riven stood ready and, before the Ionians could shoot another arrow, before Irelia could even think of an order for her troops, she whispered her command.

"Blood for Noxus."

And the Crimson Elite went insane.

Aryana's twin whips transformed her into a whirlwind of chaos, while Lucas moved with a dancer's grace, though his every move ended up with one less soldier on their enemies' lines.

Leah was their current weak spot; the storm rendered her useless, for her flames could not exist for too long. Still, she fought her way towards survival.

Riven didn't even need to try. There was a reason she was their leader; there was a reason she was the Hand of Noxus.

And arrows rained on them, leaving Ionians on the ground. Cyrus' way of being present.

As the battle dragged on, Riven's focus swayed, going from the whole scenario to just Irelia, as her broadsword clashed against the blades she brought to life, leaving the rest of the Ionians for her Crimson Elite to take care of.

But they were outrageously outnumbered and even the Crimson Elite could grow tired.

Even Noxians could be forced to their knees. Ionians knew that.

Riven was dominating her battle against Irelia, but even she could falter, if distracted enough.

And she grew distracted as she heard Leah's last roar of pain.

Her last breath alive, for she had been hit by an unexpected arrow and she was then dead. The storm condemned her to die by taking out her weapon of choice.

Then, she saw Lucas receive a blow that could be deadly; the slash of a blade to one of his wrists.

Riven grew nervous; even Cyrus' arrows stopped arriving.

"What's the matter, Noxian?" Irelia taunted as her blades kept circling her, kept circling Riven. "Regretting this battle, already?"

Riven gritted her teeth. "Come on, soldiers!" She roared, trying to lift her squadron's spirits.

But, as Aryana's whip was caught and the woman brought to the ground, to her knees, Riven realized she was cornered.

They were cornered.

Except for Cyrus.

" _Cyrus!"_  She roared, " _Shoot!"_ Her broadsword kept deflecting Irelia's constant blows as she hurried herself to think of an answer, of a way out.

As she hurried whichever Gods existed to help them out, to make Cyrus listen.

To make anyone help their useless cause.

Then, like a beacon of hope, she saw an arrow in the air.

She frowned at it. A flaming arrow.

And it was going straight for the wagon.

Irelia saw it, too. That much she knew, for the blows stopped coming, both women watching the incendiary plot that was about to come to play right in front of them.

"What…?" Irelia mumbled as she stared.

And the beacon of hope turned into a nightmare in Riven's mind as her brain connected the dots.

Right as the dreaded illusion turned into reality, Riven managed to conjure a runic shield around her.

It seemed Irelia realized what was going on, too, or at least imagined what was about to happen, for her blades begun spinning around her in a deadly way, shielding her.

Neither could manage to save anyone else as the wagon erupted in a volcanic explosion.

As the biochemical terrors were released into their battlefield and everyone but them fell to the ground in screams of pain.

Riven hissed as she felt her hands being burned and saw the blisters begin to form; her shield had taken too long to form.

The feeling of pain slowly went away, though, as she numbly watched how they all died right in front of her.

She could barely listen to Irelia's own desperate shouting.

And as she stared at Lucas, at Leah, at Aryana, at the Ionians…

Darkness took hold of her and consciousness left her behind.

And everything was black.

And, this time, as Riven reopened her eyes, something rather unexpected happen.

She was back with Diana in a dark, but pretty much alive, forest.

She dared not look at the Chosen of the Moon in the face, so she stared right ahead of her.

"And what happened then?" She heard Diana ask.

"When I came back to my senses, morning was just minutes away. I remember trying to gather my surroundings, only to find my friends dead, my foes too." Riven frowned, shaking her head. "It didn't matter who they were… They were all dead. They were all the same, then." And her frown turned into a glare. "It wasn't a war; it was an extermination. I hadn't signed up for that."

A sigh escaped her lips.

Then, she continued.

"They were unrecognizable, I tell you. I could barely tell their faces from the rest of their bodies; all of them distorted in a scream; the last one they let out as they were burned to death by that fucking Zaunite's invention. Even the ground, the trees… the  _atmosphere_  was burned to a crisp."

"And what did you do, then?"

"I memorized each of their faces, even as I struggled to move, as I trembled with my own physical pain." She huffed as she unconsciously caressed her forearms. "Nevermind my arms' wounds; the worst one had been done to my soul."

Riven closed her eyes and brought a hand to her head, rubbing circles on her temple. "After remembering each of the fallen by that chemical flame, I wanted to kill myself. I wondered why I was even alive."

She eyed her broken blade.

"It was my own sword's fault."

She frowned.

"So I broke it with my own hands."

She closed her eyes.

"It didn't fix anything, though."

Diana watched as Riven sighed, once more, and continued her storytelling. "After everything that happened, I ran away, letting them all believe I was dead. Then, I learned that Irelia had retreated back into the city and saved Ionia from the Noxian invasion and decided what I'd do next; I'd find a way to pay for my sins, no matter how long it took me."

After a second or so, Riven chuckled. "So that's my long, long sto-"

She didn't expect the Chosen of the Moon to suddenly be all over her, hugging her as if the were her lifeline.

"I'm so sorry." She heard Diana whisper.

"For what?"

"For everything."

Riven chuckled. "As if it was all your fault."

And then Diana pulled away and Riven tried not to notice the tear tracks on the Lunari's face.

"So," Riven begun, "I told you my story."

"Yeah, you did."

"It means it's your turn to finish telling me yours."

Diana laughed. "Okay, but I don't think it's as exciting as yours."

"Mine is quite interesting, but I bet  _The Scorn of the Moon_ has an interesting past." Riven said with a smirk.

"I mean, there were some betrayals and stabbings and whatnot, but still." Diana responded, smiling as she saw Riven chuckle. "Do you want the long story or the short one?"

Riven pretended to think. "What if you begin with the short one and then give me the detailed version?"

"Are you sure?"

Riven nodded.

"Okay."

Diana inhaled. Exhaled.

Then blurted it out.

"Leona was my lover."

And Riven's laughter expression immediately transformed into one of complete surprise. "What?"

Diana just nodded. "Yes."

"The Chosen of the Sun?"

"Yes."

"And you?"

"Yes."

" _You_ you?"

Diana frowned. "Well, not exactly-"

"Did she know about your interest for the Moon?"

"Yeah, but-"

Riven gasped. "Then  _you_ you!"

"But when I turned-"

"Who cares what happened then? I can't believe this."

"Her father got killed protecting me."

Riven gasped once more. "What?"

Diana watched Riven for a second, then exploded in laughter.

"What?!" The Noxian asked once more.

"If you would so kindly wait, then I can explain everything to you."

And then Riven quieted down and Diana fulfilled her promise, telling her everything.

Telling her about her love.

Telling her about her pain.

About the former Leona.

The former Helena.

Sekhet.

Khait.

The Empyreans, her discoveries.

Then Eos.

The new Leona.

Marcus' death and her lack of knowledge about his killer.

And then, she shared a little secret.

Two, actually. Each with a name of their own.

Riven frowned as she analyzed what she was learning. "So, Skadi's your mentor and Edlyn's Leona's?"

Diana nodded, pointedly ignoring the fact that Skadi's ghost disappeared and she had never noticed when. "Used to be Leona's, but yes."

Riven raised her brows, then nodded. "Well, I get her. I'd do the same if I were her."

Diana chuckled, trying not to laugh much as she felt Edlyn's warmth around her, as if the woman was agreeing with Riven.

"Hell," Riven added, "If it were me, I know I'd beat Leona's ass up." She scoffed. "Who in all of Runeterra does that bitch believe she is?"

**_Edlyn says; WHY IN THE VOID DIDN'T I CHOOSE HER AS MY CHAMPION?_ **

Diana couldn't help herself as she laughed, as she felt impressed with how well Skadi could imitate Edlyn's rich accent.

"What's so funny?" Riven asked her curiously.

Diana shook her head. "My Goddesses agree with you. Both of them."

**_I didn't… Okay, you're right, I do._ **

Riven chuckled. Minutes passed by.

"Diana?"

"Hm?"

"I'll take you to the Lunari," She frowned, then, "Empyreans." Corrected herself. "No matter how long it takes."

Diana smiled. "And why is that?"

And Riven's eyes pierced right through her, to her very soul. "Because helping you is all that matters, now."

"And what about your redemption?"

"It waited this long, it surely can wait a little bit more."

Diana was about to thank her, but, "No."

"What?"

"I said no. Your redemption can't wait any longer." She smirked. "I promise I'll take you to Irelia Lito herself and do whatever is in my power to make all of Ionia pardon you."

Riven chuckled. "You're asking for a bit too much, I think."

"Well, that's too bad, for that's what I'll ask of them and that's what we'll get."

Riven looked away, a smile on her lips.

And tears on her eyes, but she refused to let them spill.

"Forgiveness and hope."

Diana smiled at her. "A new chance for both."

She wiped her eyes quickly and Diana pretended not to see. "Sounds like a deal."

The Scorn of the Moon nodded. "Sounds like a deal."

And maybe Diana was crazy, maybe it was all of the emotions she had felt that night, playing tricks on her mind.

But she swore she saw Riven scoot closer.

And maybe it was a good sign, maybe it was what she needed, maybe it led to a good place.

But then she saw Riven's peaceful expression turn into one of fear, of that battle-focused fear, as she quickly threw herself on top of Diana.

" _Watch out!"_

Bringing her down to the ground.

As a flash of light floated above them, barely missing them.

Diana and Riven jumped to their feet, a moonsilver khopesh in one's hand, a broken, black runic blade in the other's.

Curse words between their teeth as they grinded them together.

For what approached them were not Terrors, creatures of the Void.

But soldiers. Solari soldiers.

Lead by Leona and a blonde girl.


	28. Chapter 28

"You, again?" Diana broke their silence, annoyance evident on her face as she dropped her guard, attempting to taunt Leona. "Didn't I make myself clear last time?"

" _This_ will be the last time." Leona responded, looking as bothered by the whole situation as Diana, pointedly ignoring the open stance Diana had adopted.

She didn't mimic her, shield up and sword at the ready.

Riven noticed it all. It made her snort.

And the sound made Leona's eyes dart towards Riven, a million questions running around in her mind.

"And who's this that we've got over here?" She asked and eyed Diana, again.

And, for the first time in years, she saw Diana looking uncomfortable by the whole situation. As if she had never wanted Leona to meet this stranger.

She slowly smiled, though what she felt inside was far closer to fury than to happiness. "Did  _you_ make a  _friend?"_

And it wasn't Diana who reacted.

Leona didn't have time to dodge as the mysterious woman dashed towards her, uncanny blade ready to slash for her neck.

Leona survived only because Lux had been quick enough, binding the woman to the ground with her light.

"For the love of whatever Gods you all praise, do you always talk that much before a battle, Sun bitch?" Riven said between clenched teeth, her face millimeters away from Leona's, the white haired woman uncaring of the fact she was easy prey at the moment.

But careful enough to hide her accent. Her Noxian heritage.

And then Leona raised her sword.

"I'll give you a reason to stay quiet."

But, as her sword made its' way down, her eyes not leaving Riven's fiery red ones, who watched her with fury, with anger, with an unstoppable force's power, Leona lost sight of Diana.

And Diana was already moving.

She tackled Riven to the floor, breaking the binding spell and moving her away from the Solari's attack, making Leona hit the ground with her sword.

Diana and Riven got on their feet, back to back as they eyed their enemies; The Chosen of the Sun to one side, the mysterious blonde mage to the other and Solari guards surrounding them.

Diana had Lux right in front of her. Riven had Leona.

While the Avatar of the Sun ground her teeth at the sight of Diana's new companion, the Avatar of the Moon eyed Leona's new ally curiously, but carefully, analyzing her.

_Small frame, blonde hair, light armor covering her._

Her eyes moved to the girl's hands.

_A staff._

**_She's a mage._ **

Diana narrowed her eyes.

_She's not a Solari._

"I guess I'm not the only one who's made a new friend." She said out loud, calling both Lux's and Leona's attention.

"Diana," Lux finally spoke in her high pitched voice. "This doesn't have to end in a bloodshed."

Diana felt Riven flinch against her. She tried to dismiss it, but something about it felt rather odd.

Still, she had something better to do, like figuring out who the girl in front of her was.

_With such a posh accent… Where are you from, blondie?_

All while Leona fumed, careful not to move because Diana's new friend was far too unpredictable, far too fast. One step taken out of time and she might be dead.

Everyone remained still, for they saw just how fast both Riven and Diana could move. They were forces to be reckoned with, not to be dismissed as mere players in a game, but real predators on the hunt.

A time bomb.

And they all could hear the ticking noise, but nobody could see the timer.

Despite the tension in the air, Lux tried to remain calm and continued speaking. "If you surrender-"

"No," Riven interrupted her, making even Diana curious.

For she had immediately recognized the know-it-all accent, the superhero tone. She had done so the first time Lux spoke, but thought that, perhaps, it was just her mind playing tricks on her; ghosts of a dark past clouding her mind.

But hearing that woman say the same,  _stupid_ speech all of Demacians said when they tried to avoid conflict…

…it awoke something inside of her.

Something scary, dangerous, deadly even.

Something entirely  _Noxian._

"What?" Lux asked, unsure of what she heard the other woman say.

Diana felt Riven shaking against her and, after hearing her speak again, after seeing Lux and paying attention to her way of moving, her behavior and her attitude, she finally understood that Riven wasn't shaking out of cold nor fear, but out of pure, unadulterated  _loathing_ for the Demacian scum.

"I'll tell you what, Demacian girl," Riven begun, allowing her accent to show and even exaggerating it, letting the Noxian inside of her out.

She saw the alert in Leona's eyes and knew she had been identified, perhaps not as Riven, yet, but as a Noxian, as the enemy; their standstill wouldn't last any longer.

She knew Diana was aware of this, for she felt the woman's body tense up; she was ready for a fight.

"I'd normally say  _Blood for Noxus,_ but, considering the special battle we're about to have…"

She smiled viciously at Leona when she said it.

"Tonight, I say  _Blood for the Lunari."_

Diana turned to look at her.

And saw Leona rampage towards them.

Without second thought, Diana pushed Riven aside and met Leona's sword with her Crescent Blade.

Riven was already moving, ready to strike Leona's side, but her broken blade met a thin veil of light that exploded and she was sent backwards.

Rolling to her feet, she quickly moved again towards Leona, but was discouraged from it when Diana dashed to her side with a whispered command.

"No."

Diana looked at Lux.

"The shield came from her."

Riven looked at Lux and got ready.

"Got it."

The Sun Guard marched towards them, shields ready.

Lux stood still, while Leona prepared to attack.

"Get a grip." Diana commanded in a whisper and, subtly, Riven moved until she was standing behind her.

Before anyone could notice, Riven jumped on Diana's back and the Lunari dashed with her power in a circle-like figure, surrounding Lux and Leona.

The warrior got into a defensive stance, not quite understanding the maneuver. The mage imitated her, shielding them both with her magic.

But they never encountered a blade.

Suddenly, Riven and Diana reappeared, a few feet away from both women.

And, all around them, a sea of corpses instead of soldiers.

Leona eyed the bodies with horror, then looked at her enemies.

Riven had Diana's khopesh on her other hand and she was twirling it around, just like she was doing with her broken blade.

"Wicked strength in one's hands and a hellish speed in the other's feet. Interesting combination, isn't it?"

Leona's eyes didn't know whether to stay on the cocky Noxian, or the silent Lunari.

Her body, though, couldn't stay put.

Fueled by the fury of watching her soldiers fall without her being able to do something about it, she lunged for them in a battle cry.

"Bring it, bitch." Diana heard Riven mumble.

"Riven-" She began, hoping to warn her to leave Leona for the Lunari, but it was too late; the Noxian was moving towards the Solari warrior.

Losing sight of the mage.

But Diana was not  _that_ blind.

As the two warriors were about to crash against each other, Diana saw the mage manipulating what looked like…  _light._

And aiming the spell towards Riven.

Without thinking twice about it, she ran until she was between Riven and Lux, allowing the spell to hit her instead.

The ball of light managed to slow her down, as if time moved slower near it. With clenched teeth, she looked up at the mage. Lux had her hand open.

And when she closed it in a fist…

…The ball of light exploded, the power it emanated hurting Diana with a scorching sensation.

The Lunari let out a cry of pain and looked at the mage, ignoring the battle going on behind her. "What the Hell is this?!"

"I really hoped for a pacific way to end this, Diana." The woman said, a stern look on her face. "But you and your Noxian friend have left Leona and me with no choice."

Diana ran towards the mage, readying a Crescent Strike, filling her blade with her power.

But Lux saw her coming and, anticipating her every move, she binded her down with her light, like she had done with Riven mere moments ago.

Diana released her Crescent Strike, nonetheless. Lux did not see it coming.

So she cried out in pain, too, when the Lunar power scorched her, too, just like she had done with her light.

Lux watched Diana with clenched teeth, as the woman struggled against the binding. The Demacian really wanted to help Leona, for Riven was giving her one hell of a time, taunting her and striking her down every time, barely dodging if only to infuriate her, toying with the woman as if she were a child that needed to be taught a lesson, but the threat that the Lunari imposed was far too big to ignore.

_She has to be terminated. She's too hostile._

So, having decided for a solution, Lux readied herself.

Diana watched as she began floating in the air, her staff levitating right in front of her.

And sparks of light jumped right out of it.

She heard a high pitched noise and a red light shot from the woman's staff, right through her.

"What the…"

Riven sensed it and stopped battling Leona.

Before the Solari could even attempt an attack, the Noxian dashed for Diana.

And Lux's power finally became loose.

" _By the Light!"_ She roared and her Final Spark shot for Diana.

But, as the Lunari watched what could be her end come face first for her, Riven appeared right in front of her, a green aura covering her from head to toe, her runic power being unleashed.

And, as if time could go back, instead of forwards, Diana watched with awe as Riven's blade became whole again.

Just before the light could touch them, Riven did a slash like motion with her runic blade, releasing a wave of power right in front of them.

Cutting Lux's power in half, perfectly deviating it from them.

The mage fell to the ground, exhausted because of the stress that spell put on her body, and watched with horror as the Noxian and the Lunari remained untouched by it.

Even Leona watched in awe, unable to believe it, for she knew the raw power Lux kept inside of herself.

And, watching that black, runic blade of legends come back to life in a wave of green colored power…

Lux gritted her teeth. "Impossible…"

Riven stood straight. "I'm impossible, alright."

Diana watched as Riven turned and walked towards her, then offered the Lunari her free hand.

"Come on, the fight has just begun."

She didn't know whether to look at those red eyes and the green electricity that came out of them or at that blade, being kept up by sheer power.

Independently from it, she accepted the offered hand and stood up.

"You're supposed to be dead…" Lux mumbled, her eyes not moving away from Riven.

The woman looked at her from over her shoulder. " _Supposed_."

Leona's eyes dashed from Lux to Riven, the woman too conscious of the Noxian's power to dare move without thinking it twice. "What's going on?"

Riven looked at her, tired of the Solari warrior already, but it was Lux who talked.

"She's-"

"The  _former_ Hand of Noxus," Riven cut her off, annoyed that the Demacian would talk about her. She bowed deeply in mocking. "At your service."

Leona frowned, shaking her head. "Riven…?"

And Riven glared. "The one and only."

"But you should be-"

"I'm  _sick and tired_ of everyone telling me I should be dead." She begun, interrupting her. "I  _know,_ I  _tried,_ I  _failed._ " She confessed without giving it much thought, making even Diana stare at her in surprise. "So I formally invite you to come and give it a try yourself." She swung her blade a bit, getting used once more to its' original weight. "Let's see if you can rid this world of me."

Leona considered what to do, her eyes moving from Riven to Diana, as the Lunari paced around her, not losing sight of Lux.

"This doesn't have to end in a bloodshed." Lux repeated, hoping her words would reach any of their foes.

They reached the wrong one, she realized, when she saw Riven huff a laugh. "No, but perhaps it ends in ashes, considering how you  _just_ tried to burn my  _friend,_ right?" Riven glared at the Demacian. "You two are hypocrites." She said, then began moving towards Lux.

"Stop!" Leona roared at her. Riven didn't care.

The white haired woman crouched in front of Lux and smiled at her, something vicious and devoid of anything good. She used her free hand to hold Lux's jaw and force her to look up into her eyes.

"Specially  _you,_ the  _Demacian mage._ " Riven's head lolled to a side. "How in Runeterra is that even possible?"

"I'm not like the rest of them."

Riven laughed. "You're…"

She slapped Lux. Leona saw it.

"You're full of shit."

With a roar, the lioness of a woman ran towards Riven.

The white haired woman stood up and turned, meeting Leona with a kick on the gut, throwing her to the ground.

"And you… you're  _pathetic."_  Riven said with a sneer as she made her way towards Leona.

All the while, Diana watched, analyzing how she felt about it, about this whole new side to Riven.

**_I told you she was unpredictable._ **

_She's just wounded. I'd know about that feeling._

Diana began moving, slowly walking towards Lux.

Riven continued talking. "Diana was right when she told me about you." She taunted Leona, moving her with her foot until the woman was on her belly. "She told me how pathetically  _weak_ you are, you poor attempt at a Ra-Horak."

Leona gritted her teeth and, as she watched Diana moving towards Lux, tried to crawl her way towards the Demacian. "Lux…"

Riven kicked her face, again. " _Shut up."_ She ordered her, then placed her foot on Leona's back, as if preventing her from moving.

Diana reached Lux and kneeled in front of her, grabbing her jaw, too, but the motion was a gentle contrast to Riven's hold. "Do you want me to tell you  _why_ this  _can't_  end in any other way that's not a bloodshed,  _Lux?_ " She asked her, using the nickname Leona had just revealed.

Riven watched Diana and Lux as she sat down on Leona's back, toying with the Solari, making her angrier by the minute.

"One motherfucker that follows  _her_ orders," Diana said, allowing all the anger that she felt to come out of its' hiding place inside her heart, a finger pointed at Leona. "Killed my father, an  _innocent_ man, just because he had the misfortune of crossing paths with me when I was nothing but a child."

Tears spilled from her eyes as the fury she felt revived the wound inside her heart, inside her soul. "Not a  _Lunari,_ but a  _child_ with a million questions.  _That's_ what I was. A child who didn't know what this fucking world was about and decided to figure out for herself instead of blindly following others." Her grip on Lux's face became stronger, but still remained gentle. "He tried his best to teach me how to play nice, but I was a riot as a kid, with a lot of questions and stubborn enough not to learn the lesson."

She couldn't keep her mouth shut. "Which lesson?"

"The lesson of not asking questions people don't want to answer." Diana responded. " _I_ was the one who turned her back on the Sun, not  _him!"_  She screamed at her face. "And  _he_ paid for  _my_ crimes!"

She brought Lux's face dangerously close to hers, her voice deepening in a threatening tone.

"So I'll keep killing every single Solari I meet, until I finally kill whoever murdered him."

And a dark thought entered her mind, as she added, "Or perhaps it wasn't a Solari who killed him?" She asked Lux, her mouth inches from the blonde's. "But one of their  _allies?_ "

And she knew this woman had nothing to do with Marcus' death, but she was so tired and so angry that she was actually entertaining the idea of, at least, maiming her.

But Leona had enough, as she growled and, in a furious roar, said, "Stop this fucking shit, Diana!"

Riven pushed Leona's face to the ground. "I think I said  _shut up,_ some moments ago."

"And  _why_ should I stop?" Diana asked her.

And Leona couldn't keep it in no more.

"Because  _I_ killed him!"

And the air suddenly grew thick around them, the dead silence annoyingly deafening.

Riven dropped her blade to a side and, with both hands, turned Leona so that her back was against the floor. She grabbed her by her hair, bringing her up into an almost sitting position.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

Leona looked into her eyes. " _I_ killed him, because  _she_ killed my father. What are you going to do, huh,  _Noxian?_ "

Riven glanced at Diana, who was still staring into Lux's eyes, and then back at Leona.

Before the Solari could even attempt to say anything else, she began punching her relentlessly, fist after fist connecting with her skull, ragged breaths escaping her mouth.

All while Diana stared at Lux, no expression on her face.

Then, like a whisper, "Did you know about this?"

Lux remained quiet, but, in her dizziness, she moved her head in a responsive motion.

_No._

And surely she meant  _don't do this,_ but it's hard for Diana to understand if she doesn't speak. Specially, in the context they were.

So, Diana released her and, slowly, made her way towards Leona, who was still being punched by Riven.

As she reached them, Riven looked up at her.

She didn't expect her heart to be capable of breaking at the sight.

Diana, completely silent, no expression on her face.

So, without a word, Riven moved away from Leona.

And, gently, Diana took her place on top of the Chosen of the Sun.

She brought her hands up and willed her gauntlets to vanish into the night, her hands bared, her Crescent Blade forgotten on the ground.

She looked into Leona's eyes, her face all bruised up.

And then, an emotion took up her face as it contorted into pure rage.

With an angered, anguished cry, Diana released all of her frustration, her anger, her grief, on Leona, as she continued the task that Riven had been doing.

Only  _better._

Blow after blow, she allowed her pain to be subdued by the one she felt on her knuckles as they split open, blood coming from them, mixing with the one she was making Leona shed.

Then, once she was satisfied with how battered she left her former lover, Diana grabbed Leona by the head and began slamming it against the ground.

Just before she could fall unconscious, Diana stopped, watching her work on the woman's face.

Leona was barely recognizable.

"Come on," Leona whispered, her words slurred. "Finish this."

But Diana stood up and looked for Leona's sword and shield. She was aware that the dizzy Solari was watching her.

While making eye contact with the former Ra-Horak, Diana melted Leona's blade with her bare hands. Then, she picked up her own blade and threw the Solari's shield up in the air, splitting it in half with her khopesh.

Leona watched as Diana stomped her way back to her, dropping her Crescent Blade on the way. Even Riven watched as she moved around, Lux from her spot on the ground.

As Diana reached her again, she straddled her and began ripping her armor off, destroying it with her scorching hands, leaving the proud Chosen of the Sun in nothing but the red garments she wore underneath the golden plates.

She even took the headpiece and destroyed it, leaving no golden armor behind. No shield of Daybreak to protect her, no Zenith blade to make her a threat.

She was breathing heavily once she finished.

Nobody said a word.

When she caught her own breath, Diana explained.

"I have just  _killed_ the Chosen of the Sun. I  _destroyed_ her." She said, looking into Leona's eyes.

Then, she grabbed her by the neck of her garments and brought the warrior's face close to hers.

There were tears on her eyes.

"This is the last time I have mercy on your soul, if only because of the past we both once shared." She said as she silently wept.

"Next time I see you, Leona, I'll  _kill_ you." Diana muttered into Leona's face.

And the Solari gulped as she realized that, this time, it was not a taunt. It was not a bluff.

Diana was just warning her, giving her a heads up.

Diana released Leona and stood up, moving towards her Crescent Blade and picking it up, sheathing it on her back. Riven approached Leona and crouched to be close to her face.

"To be honest, I don't get why she even gave you a chance; she's too good for you." She sneered and shook her head. "I can't understand why she lets you live, when you deserve to rot in Hell." She finished, spitting on the woman's face and standing up, moving towards Diana. Sparing a glance on Lux's direction, just to see her faint in exhaustion. She huffed a laugh.  _Weak._

"Let's go, Di," Riven said to her friend, a hand on her shoulder. "They're not worth our time."

Diana nodded without looking at her. Then, looking over her shoulder, she said something to Leona, something the Solari would do well in remembering.

"To kill an innocent man in search for vengeance, when you should be looking for the killer somewhere else…" She shook her head. "I never thought you could be this blind, Leona."

She looked straight ahead once more.

"If I had any trace of faith, of hope, left in you, you should know that I've just lost it. There's nothing left in me for you."

And she wiped away any tear that fell as she confessed her last thought.

"You've finally let me down."

And with that, Riven and Diana walked away, without even glancing back.

And as she watched her leave, Leona felt a tear of her own fall from her eyes.

_I've finally let her down._

_It took this long for her to lose hope in me._

And, as Lux had just done, the Solari succumbed to darkness, consciousness leaving her behind, only one thought inside her mind.

_What have I done?_


	29. Chapter 29

Diana poked at their fire with her Crescent Blade, completely ignoring the shuffling Riven who was sitting to her side.

One of the things she couldn't ignore, though, was the hard time the Noxian was having with trying to breathe normally, her breathing being so heavy and so  _slow_ , so she looked at her out of the corner of her eye, concern for her friend instantly taking over.

Riven noticed and shrugged, dismissing her worried glance with a small wave of her hand. "It's nothing," She said, a tired tone to her voice. "I'm just worn out."

"You should rest a bit."

Riven battled with her own eyes in order to keep them open and they almost won the fight at the mention of resting. "I should," She said and, as if obeying the Lunari's implied command, she laid her body on the ground, getting ready for some sleep.

But, before allowing herself to lose against her exhaustion, she got in the middle of Diana's way, resting her head on the girl's lap, looking up at her as the silver haired woman looked back in complete confusion.

"Don't think you'll dodge the talk we must have," Riven said, her words becoming slurred. "About tonight."

Diana chuckled. "I don't think I'm swift enough to dodge it; you proved to be even faster than I am." She confessed, dropping her khopesh on the ground and allowing her hand to move to Riven's head, her fingers entwining with white strands of hair, her fingernails scratching at her scalp in a pleasing way.

Pleasing enough that it slowly lulled Riven into a deep slumber, one forced by exhaustion.

And, as the woman rested so peacefully, Diana was left alone with the other thing she couldn't ignore.

And it wasn't the fact that Riven and her had grown so close. She didn't even notice that at the moment.

It was the dead silence inside her head. Not even Skadi's presence around, her ghost to talk with her.

She closed her eyes and time passed.

And passed.

And passed.

And her mind remained blank.

Because she was willing it to remain that way.

She didn't want to remember it. To picture it, imagine it.

She didn't want her mind to conjure up Leona, so righteous and so passionate about justice and righting everyone's wrongs…

…killing someone completely innocent, just because of his ties to someone else.

Someone else, who was also completely innocent, but Leona was not aware of that.

And that dead someone being  _Marcus._

Of all people in Runeterra,  _Marcus._

And Diana realized, then, that she had failed her little challenge, for she was now picturing Leona over Marcus' dead body, her armor all bloodied up, his eyes lifeless.

She gritted her teeth and allowed tears to fall from her eyes, not daring to move much in fear that she might wake Riven up.

_Well, not that I could, considering how tired she was._

_Still._

She remained still.

And not even the Moon nor the stars were up in the sky, for even Skadi had to give her some space and disappear for a while.

So Diana cried in silence.

As she was used to doing, now.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, she was in a dark forest that resembled the one she had visited mere moments ago.

But, had it all really happened just mere moments ago? Leona couldn't be sure.

In her groggy state, with her pounding head, dizzy brain and foggy sight, Leona tried to get up, only to realize she had been chained up.

Alarms started to go off inside her mind. Quickly, she tried to gather her surroundings.

She realized she was on her knees, her arms extended to her sides, her wrists shackled and chained to something she couldn't see.

She also noticed how tired she was, how she didn't even have the energy to stand up, to at least try.

And, as if surging from the vast darkness of the moonlit night, a woman slowly appeared on her vision.

Blood red robes adorned her body, black gauntlets covered her hands and the mask of a demon like creature hid her face.

On her back, Leona noticed as the woman's hand moved towards its' hilt, a long, curved blade laid sheathed, like a dormant beast.

And, as she recognized the weapon, no matter how bloody it was, how stained by crimson it remained, Leona began trashing around, hoping to escape her restraints, but it was all futile.

She stopped fighting when the woman halted right in front of her, crouching so as to be at eye level with her.

Leona watched as she took off that monstrous mask, her eyes as silver as her hair, her scar shining a bright red, looking at her eyes, no emotion on her calm expression as she talked.

"You seem to enjoy the loneliness of the night, for someone so desperate to have the company of sunlight."

"Diana-"

"But am I, really?" The silver haired woman asked, interrupting her.

And then Leona realized that Diana's accent was far too brute suddenly, out of nowhere, her pronunciation being uncannily rough.

"Aren't we impressions of another life?" The Diana but not quite Diana asked her, making Leona uncomfortable with the proximity. "Always destined to meet each other, to gravitate towards one another, aren't we, aren't you, aren't I?"

"What's with you and riddles?" Leona asked the illusion of a woman, who looked like her former lover but also did not, mentally chuckling at the tongue twisting words the Lunar specter used, for they definitely reminded her of Diana, never mind if she actually was her or not.

The woman smirked and, slowly, her hair turned black, her eyes azure.

It was Diana.

Leona's Diana.

"Di…" She whispered, her forehead gently meeting this past Diana's one, pointedly ignoring the red mark that still shone bright on hers.

" _Where I've always lived and shall never die,_

_Where she remains caged and trapped inside."_

And Leona began shaking her head slowly. "No, enough of it, of this…"

But Diana just smiled, her rough accent leaving her tongue in more and more words, riddles, puzzles.

" _Where you and I once had shared a friend,_

_The past, she wished, had just been pretend."_

Diana smiled, then. "We've had a few games like this one, before, right?"

Leona shook her head. "You had them with Helena."

And that smile grew. "Exactly."

Leona sighed, closing her eyes and kind of ignoring Diana's crazy words. "I don't get you, sometimes."

"I start to believe that you never did." Diana said and made Leona frown.

For her voice had turned to someone else's. A deep, female voice, but not Diana's. Not her tone, not her accent, not even that rough one that she had just been using.

Still, she recognized it, somehow.

And, when she opened her eyes, fear took over her mind as she saw Diana's eyes burning a bright gold, instead of azure or silver.

"What…?"

She pulled away as much as she could and saw how Diana's hair was reddish and becoming shorter by the minute, her expression angry, though the bright mark on her forehead still remained the same.

"Blinded by lies, you remain like that to the truth;  _blind."_

 _"_ What-"

"Because lies can be blissful and truth can be painful."

Leona shook her head, as if refusing to keep listening, while Diana's expression became darker and darker. "No-"

" ** _Perhaps you need truth to see past the lies."_**

And Leona saw Diana bring the hilt of her khopesh close to her face.

And, on its' hilt's end, there was a Solari symbol made of iron, shining in an angry red, as it was burning.

And Leona then realized that Diana had meant pain to counter the bliss, for that hand was getting closer and closer and then the scorching made her scream-

* * *

And Leona woke up with a gasp in her throat and tears in her eyes.

Drug induced dreams were the worst.

She rubbed her eyes with her hands, grateful that she was not shackled and chained, trying not to groan at the painful sensations all over her body. As she reopened them, the first thing she saw when she woke up was Lux's frame, her body rising and falling gently with every breath she took in her slumber.

She was sitting on a chair next to Leona's bed inside her room in the Temple, bent over the warrior's mattress and allowing herself to sleep for a little bit on it while the Solari recovered.

Leona didn't even bother waking her up, giving the exhausted girl some more time for herself.

Giving herself some more time alone.

Well, not exactly alone. She was with Diana.

For the girl's voice wouldn't leave her mind, her words wouldn't leave her alone, echoing inside her head as if they were constantly bouncing between the walls of her skull.

_I never thought you could be this blind, Leona._

_There's nothing left in me for you._

And the worst of them all.

_You've finally let me down._

She had tried her best to remain angry at the Chosen of the Moon, to ignore her words and keep on hating her like she had been doing for so long, already…

…But the woman who had spoken to her that night hadn't been the Chosen of the Moon, but  _Diana._

And Diana had killed the Chosen of the Sun, sparing  _Leona_ one last time.

_What is it with this guilt-like feeling?_

And, this time, it had nothing to do with taunting her; Diana had made it clear she had spared the Ra-Horak because she had once loved her.

She had been spared only because Diana still had some mercy inside her heart, the woman being kind enough to give her what she had left of it.

She didn't want to, for she was stubborn enough to keep believing that she was right, proud enough to keep justifying her actions as rightful, as if they had been the right thing to do, a kind of self-served justice, foolish enough to wish to keep pretending that she held the truth, but…

_I never thought you could be this blind, Leona._

But, as stubborn as she may be, she had to admit it; those words kept echoing inside her mind in that awful way that made her think about it twice.

She was actually considering it, giving the idea that she may be  _wrong_ a thought.

Well, not  _wrong,_ exactly; She didn't believe she was entirely wrong.

She just believed that, perhaps, she was missing  _something._

Then she remembered that weird nightmare; the clothing, the red marking, the accents and transformations and, sure, it was all a blur inside her mind, but she could still remember it.

_Drug dreams. They're like that, sometimes._

Still, something deep inside of her told the woman that she shouldn't disregard that dream completely, for something about it made some kind of sense, somehow.

She pointedly ignored how she had behaved with the Diana inside her mind, though, doing her best not to recall the loving gestures she couldn't keep herself from having with her.

_What did the dream Diana say...? Didn't she riddle me?_

She frowned.

_Where I've always lived and shall never die,_

_Where she remains caged and trapped inside._

_Where you and I once had shared a friend,_

_The past, she wished, had just been pretend._

She could remember the riddle and it reminded her of something else… Of some other riddle, perhaps?

Her eyes grew in size.

_Where's she's born and never dead,_

_Where the reaper to the heavens begins her ascent…_

It dawned on Leona that the riddle she had just dreamed up resembled one Diana had told Helena in a time so far from them that it might as well have been another life.

And she was about to groan, for she realized her brain had come up with it because of the fact she could remember the old riddle, when she saw Lux move.

The Demacian looked at her with a drowsy expression, which was quickly cleared as she eyed Leona with surprise. "You're finally awake."

"I am," Leona begun, then remained quiet as she realized she was not sure of what to say. As minutes passed, though, the woman couldn't think about it anymore and sighed. "I don't know what to say about what happened, to be honest."

Lux looked away. "It's okay, I don't know what to say, either." She frowned, then. "I never thought Riven could still be alive."

And then Leona remembered her and a frown formed on her face.  _Riven._

Lux saw it and raised a brow. "I'll take it you didn't have a very good first impression?"

Leona glared, not at Lux, but at the memory of Riven. "If I could get my hands around her neck right now, I'd gladly suffocate her, even if it takes all of my energy and ended up killing me, too."

Lux grimaced, but a tiny laugh escaped her lips, nonetheless. "Okay, I'll take that as having a  _very bad_ first impression."

"You could say so, I guess." Leona responded and allowed for a short silence to settle, as she battled internally with a decision she had to make.

Lux noticed, again, for she was waiting for Leona to speak, a brow raised and no words said.

And, finally, Leona gave up the battle inside her mind and finally asked her what she had been debating whether or not to ask. "I was wondering…"

"I could see that."

"What was  _your_ first impression?"

"Riven?" Lux began, playing dumb, as if she didn't know what Leona was thinking, "Personally, I think she could tone it down a little-"

"No, not Riven," Leona said, cutting her off, a crimson color dusting her cheeks. "Diana."

"What about her?"

She was too tired to even lose her patience. "What do you think of her, now that you met her?"

Lux smirked. "She's an interesting subject, to say the least."

The warrior frowned. "How so?"

And Lux eased herself back onto her seat. "Well, she's not as cold as I would have thought the  _Chosen of the Moon_ to be, to begin with." She said, then looked up at the ceiling as she recalled their encounter. "She  _did_ put passion into her taunting." And then, she smirked at Leona. "I guess that's why you end up hating her for it so much."

Leona thought about it, then chuckled. "I guess so. She can be insufferable at times."

Lux nodded. "Right. Then, she was so calculating, so analyzing of each of our movements; for someone who has expertise in beating you down onto the ground, she surely does take precautions, not daring to underestimate you, no matter how good she is."

The Crownguard mage then closed her eyes, as if trying to conjure up the image of Diana inside her mind. "And she looked so intrigued by me… Sure, in a wary way, but intrigued, nonetheless."

And then Lux opened her eyes, and looked at Leona with something heavy, something strong shining in them, contrasting completely with how quiet her voice sounded when she spoke.

"And then the way she let go of herself with you… The way she talked to you…"

Lux frowned, her gaze becoming unfocused.

"The way she  _spared_ you…"

And then, she raised her brows.

"Despite what you confessed…"

And then she frowned again, this time looking into Leona's eyes.

"It's quite uncanny, isn't it?"

She squinted.

"Just like it's quite uncanny how you don't call her  _Chosen of the Moon,_ anymore, but  _Diana,_ instead."

Leona's brows shot up. The hint of a smirk appeared on Lux's face.

"How you didn't get angry when I mentioned her taunting you, or being better than you, or being so unlike the Chosen of the Moon that you told me she was."

Leona's gaze became unfocused, then. "Guess she tricked me."

_Looks can be deceiving._

"Except she never tricked you."

And then it was Leona's turn to frown. "How come?"

"I think you're tricking yourself, Leona."

"What do you mean?"

Lux laid against the backrest of her seat, thinking hard for a moment. "Everything Diana did was a reaction to something you had done before, haven't you noticed?" She brought her hands up between Leona and her. She raised a finger on her left one, "When you storm your way towards her," She then raised a finger on her right one, "She responds by teasing you in the hopes that you'll go away."

And so, Lux kept pointing out things. "When you tried to kill Riven that first time, she moved to save her." Then she remembered that Leona had actually tried to kill Riven  _many_ times. "When you rampaged towards Riven, Diana pushed her aside and met you herself."

Leona's frown slowly turned into a look of surprise. "It's actually true…" She looked at Lux. "She's been doing that ever since-" She cut herself off, not knowing how to phrase it, anymore.

Lux understood, anyway, so she nodded. "She's a reaction to your actions, a consequence while you're the cause."

Leona smirked grimly.  _The other side to my gods damned coin._

"If you ask me," Lux continued, "That's not the way a monster behaves. She's not killing without reason, that much she told us last night."

And there it was, that guilty feeling. "Yeah, that much she said."

Lux frowned. "She was killing your men because of a thirst for vengeance. Last night, she got her vengeance, in a poetic kind of way." And she did her best  _not_ to mention it again, how curious she found it that Diana spared her  _even_ after learning what she did. "Perhaps she won't do that, anymore."

"I won't risk anybody else's life in order to find out, though." Leona said and the tiredness she felt about the whole subject was suddenly evident on her voice. "It's been enough."

Lux raised her brows.  _Took you some time, darling._ "Then I guess we're back at the beginning of this whole thing, aren't we?"

Leona nodded. "We are."

They remained quiet, after that. A long, easy silence stretching over them as Lux's mind remained calm and Leona's spiraled down into a turmoil; While the Demacian took the silent time to relax, the Solari was far from being relaxed nor comfortable, for she couldn't stop thinking about last night.

And then, she remembered the dreamed up riddle.

And she didn't know why it even happened, but it escaped her lips in an impulse.

"Lux, are you good at solving riddles?" She let out, then turned red as she saw the Demacian frown at her in confusion.

"What?"

"Riddles. Have you ever solved riddles?" She repeated, ignoring how embarrassing she felt the whole situation to be.  _I might as well give this a shot, right? What else do I've got to lose?_

Lux's brows shot up, as if she was surprised Leona was even asking that. "Well, I had a habit of solving puzzles and riddles as a kid, it was quite entertaining for me." She stared right into Leona's eyes. "Why?"

And Leona retorted to that old, nervous tick of hers under the blonde's scrutinizing as her hand moved towards her nape and scratched gently. "Well, it's kind of stupid, actually."

"Tell me."

Leona inhaled and exhaled slowly, gathering her courage. "I dreamed with Diana and she was telling me this little riddle, leaving it for me to solve." She looked away then, turning red and shrugging. "But it was just a dream."

Lux frowned. "I don't think anything you dream up that involves Diana is  _just a dream._ "

Leona looked at her from the corner of her eye. "What do you mean?"

"You two are linked, in some kind of spiritual, beyond-our-comprehension way. It's not hard to see." She smirked at the confused Leona, considering she might as well explain herself. "When you've got at least a drop of magic in you, like I do, you can sense these things… When the bond's strong enough, you can  _see_ it."

Leona gulped. "I guess you sensed-"

"I  _saw_ it, Leona." Lux cut her off. "As big as an elephant and as evident, too." She looked away, then, trying to imagine Diana, once more. "In fact, I could see her aura, the product of her power; It was getting stronger by the minute and it made her shine in a silver light, in my eyes. I could even see Riven had one."

And then she looked at Leona.

"I couldn't see yours. In fact, I still can't. And it's not like you're a mage, too, and learned how to hide it…"

She raised her brows.

"You don't have one."

Leona shook her head. "I do have one."

"No, you don't." Lux said, shaking her head. "You wouldn't know. Only mages can  _see_  it. Yours is not exactly magic."

"But-"

"In fact," Lux cut her off. "Yours is  _nothing,_ for it's nonexistent-"

" _Enough."_

And Lux quieted down. Leona hadn't talked loudly, hadn't shouted or roared.

But she sounded so…  _fragile,_ Lux found a certain, ironical strength in there that halted her words.

And made her feel ashamed of herself. "Sorry, Leo-"

"It's alright." Leona said, a self-deprecating laugh escaping her lips. "I guess you're right."

And Lux remained quiet, afraid of asking her in  _which_ part she was right, for she knew it could offend her, but then,

"I guess I've been deceiving myself." She said with a sigh and, upon feeling Lux's hand on hers, she looked up at the Mage.

And found her offering her a smile. "That's a start."

_Don't beat yourself up. You're already battered enough._

Leona could basically read her thoughts.

So she smiled. "Thanks," She said.

And then the silence that formed wasn't as heavy as before.

But then, "Leo?"

"Hm?"

"What was the riddle that you dreamed up?"

"Oh, that." Leona said, turning red, again. "Well, Diana recited it to me, in the dream. It was something like this."

" _Where I've always lived and shall never die,_

_Where she remains caged and trapped inside._

_Where you and I once had shared a friend,_

_The past, she wished, had just been pretend."_

And, as she finished saying it, she turned even redder and looked away. "It's silly."

But Lux's eyes were wide open. "I don't think so."

Leona looked at her again, somewhat disturbed by her shocked expression. "What do you think?"

"I think that the hallucination-inducing agents of the drugs they used to keep you asleep have tugged at your subconscious, your memories  _and_ your link to Diana to form one very clever thought in the form of a response to such a riddle."

And Leona was  _flabbergasted_ at the woman's train of thought and the elaborated way in which she shared it with her. "I'll take it you solved it?"

"I must have; I mean…" Lux began.

And the words that she said next had Leona up and out of the room in an instant.

"Wasn't your friend  _Helena_ a friend of hers, too?"

And, before disappearing through the threshold in a sprint, Leona roared her answer back at Lux.

" _She was her best friend!"_

And Lux was about to follow her, to aid her in her weird search, but…

…

She chuckled and laid back on her seat.

_This is a puzzle you've got to solve on your own, Leona._

* * *

Leona ignored the looks she got from other Solaris as she ran down the halls in nothing but a white robe that barely covered her bruised body.

As if her body knew exactly where to take her, Leona reached Helena's bedroom in no time, kicking the door open.

" _Helena!"_

And she didn't care that the woman was so out of it that she didn't even flinch at the booming sounds; Leona rushed to her side, sitting down next to her on her bed.

"Helena," She tried again, watching the crazy woman who sat at her side slowly crane her neck enough to look at her. "Hey."

"Morning blessings, Chosen of…" She frowned. She smiled. "Nevermind."

Leona frowned, but then shook her head as if shaking off whatever Helena had just tried to say. "Helena."

"That's me, yes." Helena began with a smile.

And Leona smiled. "Lena-"

And Helena's demeanor changed dramatically, for she was  _glaring_ at Leona. "Don't call me that."

"What-"

"Don't call me that." She simply repeated, but the intensity of her glare had vanished, leaving a sad expression behind.

And Leona felt guilty, immediately. "I'm sorry, dear."

The sadness subsided, a bit. "You're sorry, indeed."

And Leona gulped, for she didn't know whether she was saying she regretted ever harming her, or that she  _was in a sorry_ state.

_Anyway, both are correct._

And, for a second, she had the sensation that perhaps Helena  _had_ some magic in her, for the girl was looking at her with a knowing look in her eyes, a smile on her face, as if she could read her mind.

Leona ignored the thought. "How are you, today?"

"Better than yesterday and better than tomorrow." Helena stated matter-of-factly. "Unlike you."

"Unlike me?"

Helena nodded. "Better than yesterday,  _worse_ than tomorrow."

And it was only then that Leona realized that Helena had said that she'd feel bad  _tomorrow. "_ Can you see the future, dear?"

Helena nodded. "Sometimes, I wish I couldn't."

"And can you see mine?" Leona played along, knowing full well it was  _impossible_ that Helena could see the future.

But Helena sighed, shaking her head no. "Only Helena's."

_Oh, we're talking in third person, that's a thing we do, now._

Leona shook her head, frowning.

_Concentrate and, for the Sun's sake, don't underestimate her._

_If Diana doesn't underestimate you, you can do the same with her._

"Helena, I've come to you because someone else told me to, you know?"

And Leona was surprised to see Helena nodding her head. "Because Diana told you to."

Then Leona was frozen in place.

She shook her head again.

_She must have made a wild guess. Right._

"Yeah, Diana told me to." Leona confirmed, watching as Helena contently nodded. "She told me to come visit you in a riddle, remember her riddles?"

And then Leona watched as Helena's happy expression turned dark again. No anger, only sadness.

"Yes, I remember them."

 _Okay…_ "Why the long face?" She asked, "Didn't you like them?"

"I didn't like her last one." And then Helena looked at Leona straight into her eyes, tears forming on her own as she willed the words out, "I never managed to solve it."

Leona frowned. "How did it go?"

And suddenly Helena was all nervous, scared even. "No."

Leona was growing frustrated, but did her best not to lose her patience. "Why not?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I'll make him angry."

 _Come on, you crazy bastard! "_ Who?!"

And Helena then shut her eyes closed, her hands over her ears. " _No! No! No!-"_

 _"_ _Okay!"_ Leona roared in an authoritative voice, catching Helena's attention with her voice and her body in big, tight embrace. "Okay, okay! I won't ask again, it's okay."

Helena remained still for a second, then relaxed into the embrace. "Okay," She echoed. "Okay."

Helena and Leona held each other for a couple of minutes, Leona not letting go until she was certain the other girl had relaxed.

"I'm sorry I made you upset." Leona said as she pulled away.

Helena smirked. "Sorry… does it come from  _sorrow?"_

Leona smiled in a self-deprecating way. "Must."

Helena agreed. "Must."

Then, Leona had an idea. "Care for a walk?"

And the bright smile on Helena's face said it all.

As both girls walked through the halls, Leona receiving weird glances because of being half naked, Helena because of her unstable mind, they watched the flowers in the garden, the light entering through the windows and openings in the walls.

In the silence of the morning, Leona's heart had a revelation. Without alerting anybody, not even Helena, Leona followed her gut, her hunch, and took the crazy Scholar to Diana's old hiding place outside the Temple.

Away from prying eyes and eavesdropping ears.

And, as they sat under the midday Sun, Leona watched Helena, who basked in the sunlight like a cat.

"It's nice what our Goddess can do, isn't it?"

Leona smirked. "It is."

And then Helena's expression suddenly became neutral…

…No, not exactly neutral.

Determined, as if she had just been given a mission.

Helena's vacant stare turned to focus on Leona's eyes. "I have to write you a letter."

Leona didn't question it. "Sounds fair. I'll read it as soon as it's delivered."

And this seemed to please Helena, for she smirked, then looked straight at the Sun. Leona tried to do the same, but had to squint and avert her eyes. Helena noticed and chuckled.

"What?" Leona asked her.

"I remember when Diana would look directly at the Sun and I'd wonder how in the Void she did it." She closed her eyes. "Then I remember seeing you do the same… I spent days trying to figure out  _how_ you two did it." She opened her eyes again. "Now, I can do it and you  _can't."_

Leona stared at her, frowning. She hadn't noticed before, but it was true; Helena could do their trick.

And then Helena was staring at her when she said, "Funny how it was all just about being blind, right?" The crazy Scholar looked up at the Sun again. "Diana had always been telling us how blind we were and we never paid attention." She shrugged. "But she had always been right."

But Leona wasn't really paying attention to her, anymore.

_I never thought you could be this blind, Leona._

Just how far did that statement go? How much truth it held?

Certainly, Diana was far smarter than her, held more information, more truth than her.

So Leona stood up and offered Helena her hand.

"Let's go back. You've got a letter to write."

Helena accepted her hand and got up, a smirk on her face as she said. "Did you just open your eyes?"

"No, but I know who can open them for me."

And, as they walked back towards the temple, Helena chuckled, but did not voice her thoughts.

_Silver and white and a worn out gold._

"Edlyn will be so pleased."

Leona looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah, she will."

_Whoever that is._

_If Diana doesn't kill me first._


	30. Chapter 30

The dark forest was quiet. Peaceful, even.

Riven had passed out hours ago and Diana had stopped crying at some point. She was out of tears, out of emotions, out of energy, so she focused on the Noxian resting on her lap.

As she slept, Riven had no expression on her face, but it wasn't like that neutral mask she usually wore while awake; there were no stern lines on her face, no tight lips nor narrowed eyes. She was at ease, her eyes gently closed, her mouth slightly opened as she breathed slowly, deeply, her voice occasionally escaping her throat in an unintelligible mumble.

Diana noted how the woman would move from time to time in her sleep. It's not like she was a sleepwalker or that she trashed around too much. On the contrary, Riven moved very little, closing her hands, reaching out with her fingers or even re-positioning her limbs in very quick, twitch-like motions. It made the Lunari smile.

 _I can't believe it, but I find you cute_.

She raised her brows, the small, gentle smile she usually wore gone from her face.

_I find you cute._

And before she could put more thought into that concept, Riven's peaceful expression was gone, erased from her face, replaced by a look of discomfort.

No, not discomfort.  _Fear._

Riven was afraid, her stillness being replaced, too, by more of those erratic, twitch-like movements.

And then she was mumbling, too.

"No…" She let out as she quickly moved, trying to shake her head, her expression growing more and more desperate, "No…"

And, as it dawned on Diana that Riven was having a nightmare, she knew what to do.

Careful not to wake her nor stress her more than she already was, Diana managed to catch Riven's head, forcing it still by gently pressing her index and middle fingers to each of her temples.

Since it was an ability that she knew she possessed, but had never actually put to use before, Diana had to concentrate hard, so she focused all of her attention on her power, willing it to aid her in her new cause.

And, slowly, but surely, her fingertips began to shine in a silver light.

And slowly, but surely, Riven calmed down, going back to that peaceful slumber.

Diana smiled at the woman, proud of herself for being able to help her rest easy, but, as quick as that smile came, it left, for everything in this world came with a price.

And the price for her good deed was an ajar door inside her mind, one which made her curious enough to go and investigate what was on the other side of it.

As she closed her own eyes, still focusing on her task at hand, she realized that, being connected to Riven's mind, she could get inside her dreams.  _That_ was the ajar door in her mind's eye.

And, right now, she was visiting her latest nightmare.

An extreme empathy was a byproduct of her ability, so Diana couldn't stop the tears from falling as she looked around in horror; She was standing in a battlefield that was made of ashes and it didn't take her long to guess those ashes had been people, once.

She saw Riven, her Noxian armor still on her, though parts of it were molten and wrecked. The Hand of Noxus was kneeling on the ground, a group of bodies around her; a blonde with scars, a brunette with dark skin, a ginger…

_The Crimson Elite._

And Riven was surrounded by their bodies. There were tears on her eyes.

And blood on her hands.

It helped it dawn on Diana that the woman wasn't mourning them, but felt guilty for their deaths instead.

She felt as if she had been their killer.

It made Diana feel devastated.

But then, as she watched her friend crying, beating herself up over something that she hadn't done and couldn't fix, Diana noticed a figure appearing right behind Riven.

And it was herself. Curiously enough, dressed like Skadi.

She watched as Riven's version of her placed her hands on the Noxian, calling her attention. The Hand of Noxus looked at her with surprise and stood with the help of the Lunari as she offered the Noxian her hands and guided her up, to her feet. Without a word, the ghostly Diana covered Riven's eyes with a hand and, as the real Diana blinked, the world transformed into one anew.

As usual for them, they were in a dark forest, the stream of a river to their side, a sky full of stars above their heads.

As the ghost-like Diana allowed Riven to see once more, the Hand of Noxus looked around, pleasantly surprised to find the battleground was no longer below her feet. She sighed in relief, happy to find her broadsword was missing, and slowly began to take off the armor, leaving herself in a black, tight shirt and pants that served as both undergarments and a warm barrier between her and the cold ebony of her armor.

Riven turned, trying to talk to the spectral Diana, but the woman was gone.

In her spot, she found the Captain of Ionia's Guard.

Riven froze as she stared into those cold, blue eyes with her red ones.

Diana watched curiously; it had been right there, right in that moment, that Riven's nightmare had become something else entirely.

So, considering her job was done and that she was currently watching something she shouldn't know about, Diana abandoned her dream, going back to reality.

_Irelia._

Riven wanted to see Irelia, desperately.

The silver haired woman smirked down at the peacefully resting woman, gently combing her hair with her fingers.

_I'll take you to her. That I promise to you._

So she continued her ministrations on the other girl's hair, keeping watch of both the night and the woman's dreams as she rested.

* * *

"Diana?"

"Hm?"

"I wanted to thank you."

The Chosen of the Moon frowned at Riven when she heard her say that. "What for?"

Riven looked at her feet as they walked, the afternoon Sun bathing them in its' light, warming up their bodies. "Don't think I haven't noticed your constant apparitions on my dreams." She looked up into silver eyes, "For days now I've been dreaming with you and I know it can't be a coincidence."

Diana's eyes widened, then she chuckled, "I'm not very subtle, am I?" She asked, watching as Riven laughed along.

"No, you aren't."

"I meant it when I told you I could help with it." Diana said, feeling the need to explain herself. "I know which abilities I possess, but I sometimes lack the opportunity to test them."

Riven raised a brow, something alike playfulness in her red eyes. "Oh, so I was your test subject?" She asked, watching as Diana nodded. "And what if that went wrong and you ended up killing me by accident or something like that?"

Diana pretended to think about it for a minute, exaggerating the gesture as she tapped a finger to her chin, a pout on her lips and a humming sound of contemplation on her throat. "Well, I'd be free of any guilt, since it would have been by accident."

She laughed as Riven punched her arm lightly, a  _Hey!_  Escaping her lips.

So they kept walking in silence, the day passing them by, until Dusk settled over them.

"We're near Ionia," Riven commented, making Diana turn to look at her.

When did the Noxian get so close?

"How long until we make it there?" She asked, her eyes darting all over the other woman's face, so uncannily near hers.

Her eyes anchored themselves over Riven's lips as the former Hand of Noxus said, "We'll reach the city at midnight, at this rate."

And she missed how Riven was looking at her lips, too.

And she would have become aware of it, aware of how close the both of them actually were, if it hadn't been for the sound of movement around them, breaking the spell and making them get ready for an attack.

"Show yourself." Riven commanded, her broken blade at the ready, her eyes looking around as Diana did the same, her Crescent Blade idly twirling on her slender fingers.

They both looked ahead as a shadowy figure got out from between the bushes.

Diana sneered and got ready to strike, something animalistic taking over her as she roared, her khopesh up in the air and ready to go down on Leona's neck.

And she would have done it. Hell be damned, Diana did not stop nor hesitate.

She would have killed Leona, if it weren't for the fact that Riven caught her right on time, preventing her from doing so.

"Brave of you to show your face around here," She spat at the Chosen of the Sun. "Didn't I tell you I'd kill you if I ever saw you again?" She struggled against Riven, scowling at her friend, grinding out a low, " _Release me."_

Riven merely shook her head, still keeping her from moving. "I won't do that, Diana."

And Diana kept trashing, kept trying, was about to break free, when she allowed herself to look at Leona.

To really, really look at her.

She was unarmed, her old Ra-Horak armor on, no golden crown on top of her head, no Armor of the Solari to protect her body.

No Zenith nor Shield of Daybreak, but her old, rusty, iron and wood shield.

No sword.

And her shield was strapped to her back, her arms extended to her sides, palms open, head hanging low.

She was giving up, readying herself for the execution.

She looked into Diana's eyes, something alike regret shining in them. "I didn't come all this way to fight you, Diana."

The woman growled at the sound of her name. Leona flinched.

Still, she went on, "I didn't come here to taunt you, to fight you, to play our game of cat and mouse. I came here to surrender." She said, then  _kneeled on the ground,_ palms still up, head hanging from her shoulders.

Riven was so surprised that she accidentally released Diana, who approached the kneeling woman. "What do you mean?" She asked her, a grave tone on her voice as she circled her.

"It has been brought to my attention that maybe I've been following a false light all along." She said between clenched teeth, not at all happy with her confession. "I've been lost and I think it's time I found myself, again."

She didn't react to the tip of Diana's Crescent Blade, tipping her head up so as to make her look into cold, silvery eyes.

"And what makes you think I would help you?"

Leona rose a brow. "The fact that you haven't killed me, yet."

"You should thank Riven for that."

Leona gritted her teeth. Diana noticed.

_Interesting._

_"_ I think you'd help me because I've been sent here by Helena."

The name made Diana's breath hitch in her throat.

She threw her khopesh to a side and picked Leona up by the collar of her clothes, her face mere inches from her own as she growled, "Bold of you to dare say her name like that to me."

"I'm  _not_ trying to  _taunt you,_ Diana." Leona said once more, as passive, as neutral, as ever. "I'm just saying the  _truth."_

 _"_ Give me proof."

So she watched as Leona reached for her pocket, taking out a crumbled piece of paper and giving it to her.

Diana released her only with one hand, her eyes darting from Leona's to the paper as she unfolded it and read its' contents.

It was Helena's handwriting, though it was a bit messy;

_Ask not the Sun why she hides,_

_When day to dark does turn._

_For her light is not for the blind,_

_Ant the truth your eyes will burn._

_Ask the Moon instead,_

_Why the Sun, at dusk, she sets,_

_For she's the one with answers,_

_To those questions left unanswered._

She glared at Leona once more, though there was a certain urgency hiding behind her eyes. "When did she write this to you?"

"Recognize it?" Leona asked, curiosity in her eyes, "She wrote it for me right before I left. She had confessed to me she couldn't tell me the riddle you had told her before leaving because  _someone_ would get mad. Do you've got any clue about what she may be talking about?"

Diana frowned. "But this is the riddle I told her before leaving." She said, her eyes not leaving Leona's. "Leona, what's going on?"

The auburn haired woman sighed, feeling like a champion at how Diana had said her name, or the fact that she had released her, slowly but surely.

_Progress._

"You've missed a lot this past time." Leona admitted, a tired look on her face.

It was only then that Diana managed to see how exhausted she actually was; her eyes didn't shine as they would, a certain dullness taking over them, being exaggerated by the bags under her eyes…

"Okay, you'd better start explaining." She folded her arms over her chest. "Now."

"I don't know how to explain it to you, Diana, but Helena hasn't been the same ever since you left." She shook her head. "She's delusional, lost her mind—"

" _Lost her mind?"_ She asked, bewildered, interrupting the Solari, who simply nodded.

"She keeps talking to the Sun and the Moon, about some Edlyn and Skadi—"

" _Edlyn and Skadi?"_

Leona closed her eyes and exhaled, "Yes,  _Edlyn and Skadi."_ A thought occurred to her, then, "Do you know who they are?"

Diana kneeled, her hands on Leona's shoulders, "You're telling me you  _don't?"_

Leona frowned, shaking her head no. "Should I?"

Diana sighed, then stood up. "You came here for answers, yes?" Leona nodded, not daring move from her spot on the ground as Diana picked her khopesh up.

And sheathed it.

She motioned for the woman to stand up. "Come on," She said, "Get up, before I regret this."

Leona stood up, looking at Diana with hope in her eyes, Riven doing the same with confusion in her own red ones. "Before you regret what?"

"Letting you tag along."


	31. Chapter 31

She immediately regretted it.

Never in her life had Diana regretted something she'd done or decided voluntarily, but she guessed there was a first time for everything.

The tension in the air was so thick it could have been sliced with a knife.

She was walking a bit ahead, flanked by both Riven to her right and Leona to her left.

She could  _feel_ the angry glares they were throwing at each other.

"Could you two stop that?" She finally asked, having grown tired of them.

"We're not doing-"

" _Yes,_ you  _are."_ She cut the both of them off with the use of her authoritative tone, the uncanny unison having spooked her enough to make her shiver a bit. She looked at the both of them over her shoulder. "If you're not stopping it, at  _least_  kill each other and  _spare me_ from having to put up with your annoying beings." She looked ahead again, rolling her eyes as she sighed a bit. "You, insufferable bastards."

"Hey!"

" _Cut that off!"_ She barked out in a high pitched voice at the repeated, eerie unison of their voices.

And that silenced them.

But then again, it wasn't exactly silence what she wanted.

"You should start talking." She said, not looking away from what laid ahead of her. When no answer came, she looked over her left shoulder at Leona. "Helena." She frowned, though it appeared to be more of a glare. "Spill it."

Leona's look of surprise at being the one she was addressing suddenly subsided, leaving room for a look of seriousness as her eyes swayed from Diana's and focused on that silver blade strapped to her back. "I don't even know where to begin."

"Easy," Diana said, turning around and walking backwards, arms folding in front of her as Leona's gaze climbed up her body, anchoring on her eyes once more. "Start from the beginning-"

"And finish at the end?" Leona cut her off, a raised eyebrow on her face, no reaction to the surprised look Diana was giving her due to the Solari having guessed her following words. "Yeah," She nodded. "I know how that goes."

"Then talk."

But then Diana noticed the pained look on Leona's face. "I don't really know how to begin, it's…" She sighed, closing her eyes as she did so, "It's hard." She opened her eyes, looking into Diana's with a certain intensity shining in her own. "I don't think you're ready to hear it."

And then Diana stopped walking, making Leona crash against her, halting her movements, too.

And she was glaring. "I don't think you understand how little I care about that and how much I care about Helena." She narrowed her eyes. " _Talk."_

And Leona scoffed.

It caught Diana off guard.

" _How much I care about Helena,_ you say." She barked a mirthless laugh, shaking her head. "That's why you abandoned her, isn't it?" She asked, a bored tone on her voice as she looked at Diana with a no-nonsense expression.

"Don't  _push_ me, Leona." And the warning tone was heavy enough it even made Riven flinch.

But it hadn't been enough as Leona opened her mouth again. "Push you? Oh, sorry, I didn't know  _you_ were the one going insane between you and Hel-"

The slap Diana gave her reverberated all throughout the forest, successfully silencing the rambling Solari.

"I was kind and merciful enough to let you tag along, sparing your miserable, waste of breath you call life." Diana ground out between gritted teeth, her carotid artery being visible on her neck, "Do not make me go back on my own words because I swear to the Goddesses, Leona, that I'll do it and I'll make your last moments the worst of your existence."

"Seriously, Sun bitch," Riven intervened, her voice almost a whisper as she laid her hand on Leona's shoulder, "Grow a brain and realize that making Moon Priestess over here get angry at you is not the best idea."

So the slightly intimidated Leona looked over her shoulder at Riven, a questioning glare on her face, as if she were asking the white haired woman  _Who asked for your opinion?,_ Automatically making Riven raise her hands in surrender, muttering a low  _Don't say I didn't warn you._

And then Leona looked at Diana again, something in her words finally clicking. " _Goddesses?"_

Again, Diana didn't expect that. "Yes, Goddesses, Leona. By the Void, just how dumb have you gotten?"

Leona shook her head, "No, no. Wait." She looked at Diana with a fire hiding underneath uncertainties and unanswered, ever raising questions. "You worship more than one Goddess?"

Diana nodded, a dumbfounded look on her face. "Like I always have, like I always will."

"And who are these Goddesses?"

Diana couldn't believe the questions she was hearing. "The Moon and The Sun, Leona."

Leona was frowning, shaking her head, "But-"

"Look," Diana interrupted her, sighing tiredly at her antics. "Tell me about Helena and I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Leona frowned, her eyes on the ground as she idly began to move forward again. Diana and Riven shared a look, but still followed.

"She disappeared for a while as soon as you left. Nobody knew where she was. Actually, up to this day, nobody knows where she had run off to." She looked over her shoulder at Diana. "She's never spoken of that day, not of where she hid, not of you, not of anything." She looked ahead again. "She'd always change the subject."

Diana's expression turned to one of concern as she picked up her pace, walking side by side with Leona, Riven staying behind and even walking slower, giving them a bit of privacy.

Leona looked at Diana before looking at the ground again. "And when she appeared once again, she wasn't the same anymore. She's delirious, delusional, as if she were high on some strong drugs, all day long. She talks in poetry, rhymes and metaphors that don't make sense at all. She talks to the wind, the sky, the clouds, to ghosts and spirits only she can see, she'd talk to the Sun… and let my Goddess forbid it, she'd talk to the Moon and the stars, too."

Diana pointedly ignored Leona's subtle indication of the sin Helena was committing, to her eyes. "The Moon and the stars?" She asked instead, watching as Leona nodded. "And how do you know about this?"

"I've seen her doing it more than once."

"You've  _caught_ her."

Leona nodded.

"And you did  _nothing_ about it?"

The Solari gazed at her with wide eyes, feeling as if she had just been caught red handed. "Well, what did you want me to do? To tell the Elders about it?" Leona questioned, looking ahead as she felt a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "If there's something you should remember about me, Diana, it should be the fact that I'm not a snitch."

Diana didn't smile, but Leona could see a certain warmth to those cold, silvery eyes. "You didn't rat her out."

"No!" Leona roared at the idea, her voice going pitchy. "I, I-" She stuttered, then sighed as she looked at the ground again. "I would never do that, especially to her." She said, sounding so small it made Diana almost regret her own words.

Almost.

Leona continued. "I couldn't let her do it alone, though, for she was bound to get caught, so I would bring her to my room and let her stare at the night sky from my balcony, talking to the Moon, the stars and some spirit lady called Skadi."

A beat of silence as Diana weighed those words inside her head, carefully filing certain information for later revision.

"Tell me more about her relationship with Edlyn and Skadi." Diana finally settled on saying.

It hadn't been a question.

Leona squinted her eyes at her. "Who are these two?"

Diana could  _feel_ her two mentors' hands on her shoulders, their breaths upon her neck, a warm breath on one side, cold lips on the other. "You give answers, I ask questions. I make demands, you fulfill them. Do so and maybe, just maybe, we'll do it the other way around later."

Leona looked at her, "I thought this would be a question-for-a-question kind of game."

Diana huffed. "To play that game with me is a privilege you haven't yet earned." She said and then desperately ignored the gaze of Riven's eyes burning holes into her back.

Leona seemed ready to retort, to demand a certain kind of fair play, but then the fight in her quietly subsided, the warrior's roar dying out as her expression fell a bit, though not with anger, sadness, or disappointment, but a certain calmness. "Fine." She murmured, before sighing loudly.

Diana rolled her eyes at her.

"She started speaking to them a few months after you left, around the time when she came back from wherever she had gone to." Leona explained quietly. "She talks to them as if they were old friends, messengers of sorts who she happens to respect a lot."

"Messengers?"

Leona looked at Diana then, her eyes focused on the silver ones in front of her. "She'd beg Skadi to deliver messages to you, while begging Edlyn to make me see reason." She saw Diana raise her brows as she opened her mouth to say something, but Leona continued, "But then, when I'd ask her about those two, she'd start laughing and shrugging me off as if it were nothing, always dodging the question." She looked away then, a frown on her eyes as she said, "So I did the same to her, shrugging Skadi and Edlyn off as products of her imagination."

"Imaginary friends?" Diana asked her, feeling the hand on her left shoulder start to burn her through her clothes, the pleasant warmth growing scalding hot with an ancient fury.

"Desperate solutions for a problem she can't fix; our fallout and your leaving."

Diana could feel Edlyn's rage going through her as she glared at Leona with that same heat and said, "You say that as if I had a hand on our fallout."

"Well, you did." Leona said, matter-of-factly. "You had to go and ruin everything."

"Have you ever stopped and wondered why in the Void I did what I did, you jackass?" Diana spat suddenly, making Leona look at her, somewhat flabbergasted.

"What did you just call me?" Was the first thing Leona said, unaware of the words coming out of her mouth until they were already free, as she raised her gaze back to silver eyes.

And then she saw the heat.

Or, better said, felt it.

Leona was stunned into silence as she felt her body warm up uncomfortably, reminding her of a time when her powers obeyed her, making her feel like the Sun Warrior she supposedly was, only this time the warmth didn't feel like her own, didn't feel comforting, but the complete opposite.

And she knew it was coming from the coldest warrior alive.

"Stop looking at me like that." She commanded Diana, feeling nervous underneath her scrutiny.

"I asked you a question." Diana said, fully aware of Leona's uneasiness, knowing her well enough to guess her next move.

And guess she did.

Leona grew twitchy, slowly moving towards Diana as she growled, "I told you to  _fucking stop_ looking at me  _like that!"_

And she pushed Diana backwards, the Scorn of the Moon letting her do so with a calm fury to her demeanor.

She saw Riven twirl her broken blade once, indicating she was ready to fight Leona, but ordered her to stand down with a simple glance.

Riven nodded once, a small gesture, letting Diana know she'd obey, for now.

Then Diana looked at Leona again, the auburn haired woman breathing heavily, trying to come down from her frenzied state.

She took two long steps towards Leona, her khopesh falling to the ground as she unstrapped it, the plates of her armor disappearing into the air as she did so, as she moved, and then she landed a right hook on the Solari's face, making her head ricochet to a side and the woman stagger back a few steps.

Leona's hand went immediately to her cheek as she slowly pivoted her head until she was able to look at Diana again.

Diana had her fists up. "I've been wanting to do that for such a long time." She confessed, a wild grin on her face, "And I've been desperate to do it ever since seeing you again."

Leona slowly stood up, "What the fuck do you think you're doing, Diana?"

"Come on, let's settle this the traditional way," She said, then added her taunt, " _Jackass."_

And she didn't need to say anything else.

With a swift motion of her hands, Leona unstrapped her shield and, without wasting anymore time, she lunged for Diana, ready to beat her down to the ground.

Leona's punch was easily evaded by Diana, who retaliated by getting in Leona's space and landing a shovel punch to her solar plexus, knocking the wind out of Leona's lungs.

"Fucker," Leona growled, being fast enough to deliver a hook to Diana's cheek, making the silver haired woman's head bounce away from it.

Riven flinched, ready to jump in.

" _No,"_ Diana commanded without even looking at her as she circled Leona. " _Mine."_

So Riven stayed put, unable to help herself as she stared at them, the fight slowly transforming from a thought-out, strategically planned battle to a show of punches going back and forth, as even Diana herself stopped dodging or blocking altogether, letting Leona's fists find their mark on her body and face.

Leona overreached with a punch she throwed, Diana dodging it only to lunge for the Solari's legs, tackling her down to the ground, taking the opportunity that came up due to the Ra-Horak's sloppy movement.

Once in the ground, Diana started to rain down fists on Leona's face. One after the other, she landed them wherever she could, trying to make it through the warrior's guard; her fists, which were placed between her face and Diana's own hands.

Diana kept going, kept trying, kept delivering her rage in the form of blows…

...Until she noticed Leona didn't seem eager to retaliate, but only block.

Actually, she had only been blocking, throwing some punches from time to time, trying to attack once or twice only for the sake of keeping her at bay. And even then, her attempts had been half hearted.

So, once this realization hit her, Diana's attacks grew slower, less vicious, until they were no more.

And Leona then, feeling the lack of attacks coming at her, lowered her guard, taking a look at Diana's face, giving in to her curiosity, though it was clear on her gritted teeth and narrowed eyes that she was expecting some sort of surprise attack, a blow straight to her nose or something of the sorts.

But nothing came.

Instead, she was greeted with Diana's eyes, open wide, pupils dilated with adrenaline as she slowed her breathing, gaze locked on Leona's face, both of them ignoring the bruises and blood on the other's face.

"What…?"

Before Leona could finish that thought, though, Diana attacked her again, only this time her attacks were of a different nature.

No fists, but fingers came for Leona's face.

Diana was poking at her face, placing her palms on Leona's eyes, not letting her see her, pushing her face to the sides, messing with her.

No damage being dealt, no viciousness behind her actions at all.

"You're annoying as Hell," Diana commented as Leona tried to make her stop.

"Says the one being a child!" She spat back, her voice lacking the venom that had been there before as she batted at Diana's hands.

"I'm giving you a taste of your own medicine."

"How so?!"

"You've been pestering me  _this_ badly." Diana commented as she kept bothering Leona.

" _When?!"_

"Every time you hunted me down, you insufferable fly!"

"I had my reasons!"

And that made Diana stop, her hands landing to each side of Leona's face as she leaned closer.

"Spill it."

Leona, who had her eyes shut so as to avoid being poked in them, slowly opened them, a frown making her eyebrows get lower on her face. "What?"

"Why did you chase me down so badly?" Diana asked, an intensity to her face that Leona couldn't ignore.

"You were the Scorn of the Moon, Diana-"

" _Bullshit."_ Diana said, silencing her, pointedly ignoring the past tense carefully placed in that sentence.

Leona sat up as much as she could, her face coming close to Diana's, enough that she could appreciate the different shades of silver in her eyes. "And how'd you know it's bullshit, huh?"

"Because you're a  _terrible liar."_

And Diana didn't miss how Leona's eyes flickered downwards.

It reminded her of how Riven's—

"Where's Riven?" She asked to no one in particular, getting up and scanning her surroundings, realizing the Noxian warrior was nowhere to be found.

Leona stood up too, clearing her throat as she turned away from Diana in the hopes of hiding her heated face. "I thought she was here."

Diana frowned, concentrating, trying to sense where Riven could be—

She saw a green glow in the distance.

Without further warning, she kicked her khopesh high in the air, caught it and dashed in that direction.

"Wait!" Leona shouted after her, picking up her shield from the ground and sprinting after her.

Diana's armor reforged on her, her eyes glowing with the power of Moonlight as she reached the scene.

Riven, aura visibly green with runic power, was fighting off three terrors that had surrounded her.

"Hey!" Riven called before dashing to a side, dodging one of the creatures as it jumped towards her. "Glad you could come!"

Diana rushed to her side in the form of moonlight, burning one of the terrors' claws as she passed through it, frustrating its' attempt at attacking.

"Sorry, I got a bit caught up." She breathed out against Riven's ear, noticing the shiver it had sent down the Noxian's spine.

"In old grudges, I see."

Diana lost all focus and stared at Riven, confusion on her expression at the snarky remark.

"What-"

Riven jumped in front of Diana, deflecting vicious claws that came for her face.

"Pay attention."

And Diana tried, but couldn't shake off that phrase, the way it was said.

Still, she wasn't a child. She was a woman, a warrior unlike any other, so, even if her heart wasn't in the battle, she helped Riven, her Crescent Blade whipping through the air, dealing fatal blows here and there as Riven moved in her frenzy, doing exactly the same.

But the Terrors were too many.

They were enough that Diana didn't have time to sense the one coming for her back until it was far too close for her to do something about it.

She turned around and could only see the insides of a big, threatening maw, opened enough to swallow her down.

She flinched, the adrenaline running all throughout her body preparing her for the deadly attack, but then a shadow one size bigger than her appeared right in front of the Lunari, between the beast and herself.

Leona had her arm up, her shield strapped to her forearm, half of it inside the creature's mouth, which bit down on it viciously, but didn't manage to make much damage to the Ra-Horak nor her shield, as she hid underneath it.

Leona's eyes were on Diana's, brows raised with a warrior's concern. "You okay?" She asked her in a quick breath, nodding once as Diana did the same. "Okay," She breathed out again, her brow furrowing in a glare. "Let's go."

And as she said such words, the warrior pushed on her shield, bashing the creature with it and successfully dislodging it from its' maw.

And the battle began once again.

Diana dashed towards the creature Leona had just pushed back, her Crescent Blade invisible to mortal eyes as she brought it down on the monster's neck with a breakneck speed, dislodging its' head from its' body and splattering herself with the creature's blood.

She made eye contact with Leona, her bloodlust evident in her own eyes, a small, vicious smirk forming on her lips as she saw the Ra-Horak watch her, starstruck.

But that look didn't last long on her face as the challenge arose in front of her eyes.

So Leona, seeing the creature coming for her on her peripheral vision, crouched and placed her shield to her side and above herself, letting the creature ran over her and miss her completely.

Diana took advantage of the distraction and pierced the monster's belly with her blade. "Back to your roots, I see?"

Leona stood up, breaking the creature's neck with the strength of her shield as she bashed it into the side of its' skull, dealing the final, fatal blow. "Once you lose as many times as I did against you, you learn there's something that's not working about your strategy." She pivoted on her feet and deflected another creature's claws. "I see you're a vicious slaughterer, now."

Diana decided to show off a bit, so she used her enhanced agility and, using her hands to propel herself off Leona's slightly crouched figure, she jumped high in the air, raining down on the beast as deadly moonlight and finishing it off before saying, "Only for those who deserve it."

Leona stared at her for a hard minute. Her eyes, then, wandered towards something over Diana's shoulder.

The Lunari instinctively turned around ready to fight, but nothing was there.

Her eyes landed on Riven, though, who stared at them, harshly.

Two creatures were coming for her and she wasn't realizing it.

Diana's first instinct was to warn her, "Riven—"

She didn't manage to finish the sentence; they were too close.

She was about to sprint for her when she noticed someone else had already done so.

Leona pushed Riven to a side and placed herself between the Noxian and the monsters, their fangs digging deep into her shield.

Riven got up in an instant and slaughtered the two creatures with two single swings of her broken blade, shoving Leona afterwards. "I don't need your help."

And Diana expected Leona to show her true colors, to bite back.

Leona did show her real self.

It hadn't been what Diana expected.

"It's too bad, you get it anyway." She said, a slightly annoyed tone to her voice.

Only one creature was left and it was approaching them.

Without looking at it, Leona twirled on her feet and, as it was near enough, she crouched and then brought her shield up with all of her strength, successfully going through the monster's chest with it, almost slicing it in two.

As the creature fell to the ground, they all looked around, making sure no other one was left.

The night was dead silent, but slowly its' typical sounds resumed.

"It's over, for now." Diana sentenced, sheathing her blade, getting uneasy at how Riven took her time to do the same.

Leona looked at them both, broken shield still on her forearm as she said, "Okay, now it's when I'm allowed to ask what the hell that was."

Riven dropped herself on the ground, exhaustion keeping her there. "Diana can do it."

Diana looked at her then at Leona, who merely stood there, waiting for an answer.

She sighed as her eyes closed and she dropped to the ground, too.

"Maybe later." She said, letting herself rest for a second, her body being tired enough that she actually passed out.

Just like Riven.

So Leona followed suit and sat down, assessing the damage to her shield and, silently, doing her best to reduce it, using her strength to straighten the blows and shrink the holes as much as she could, only one thought in her mind as she did so, only one question in her head as her eyes darted towards the silver haired woman who rested nearby, her chest rising and falling slowly with every breath she took.

_What in the Void have you been up to, Diana?_


	32. Chapter 32

Leona had been left alone in a way and, if she was honest, such fact shocked her.

These two  _brutal, ruthless_ warriors had passed out with no warning whatsoever, nevermind the fact that they were in the company of someone who, just a few days ago, had been their enemy.

So Leona thought about that as she silently straightened her shield, heating it up on the small fire she had lit while they slept, then pushing on the bumps with her own hands, grateful that the heat meant nothing to her, though she was aware of how she could actually feel some discomfort, now.

It unsettled her.

She shook her head, trying not to let it get to her, but…

She sighed, her eyes closing for a brief moment.

Truth be told, she had been aware of her power's disobedience for a while, now.

_Well, to call it disobedience would be generous._

She knew something wasn't right. Something was missing. She felt weak, the sunlight did not aid her, anymore. It didn't even strengthen her.

Slowly she had felt how her powers vanished until they weren't there anymore. She had realized it late, but she recalled feeling them disappear.

It worried her, mostly because she didn't know what she had done wrong and how to fix it, but if there was something she had learned, it was that she should always show herself confident, as if nothing was wrong, for it was better to look intimidating than to look fragile.

And it was just then that a little voice inside her head, one that she knew wasn't her Goddess, for she had been gone for a while, now, asked her something that had her frowning.

_When did you start thinking like that,_ _**peace-lover?** _

It unsettled her how that voice sounded like Khait.

She frowned, but did not answer to it.

She sensed movement and her eyes darted to Diana's frame as she shifted on her sleep, turning to her side and curling up like a ball.

Leona's eyes immediately softened, her eyelids becoming a bit heavier than before as the alarm and adrenaline abandoned her body and she relaxed again, watching as Diana's body rose and fell with each breath she took.

A long exhale came out of her nostrils as her eyes scanned Diana; her knees brought up to her chest, one arm lazily hugging her frame, the other one sprawled in front of her. Her eyes closed, her mouth slightly open.

Diana looked small, fragile…

 _Soft,_ Leona concluded.

And then she moved again, stretching her body as she turned to her stomach, a quieted groan reverberating on her throat.

Leona followed the movements with her eyes, watching the closed-eyed Diana as she turned to her back again, her face falling to Leona's side.

Then those eyes opened and the fog of sleep vanished quickly as her unfocused pupils suddenly found an anchoring point on Leona's.

Leona didn't look away.

She did turn red, though.

"You're staring." Came Diana's statement of the obvious.

"Well," Leona began her defense, "I figured it was already too late to look away and pretend I wasn't."

Diana's eyes widened. She blinked once. Then, she nodded.

"If you put it that way…"

"Makes sense, doesn't it?"

"It does."

Then, silence.

Diana figured it was process, though; a step given the right way, for it had been the first conversation they managed to have without wishing to tear the other apart ever since Leona showed up.

That, and the fact that Leona seemed to be honest with her.

_Guess we aren't keeping secrets from one another, now._

"What are you doing?" She asked Leona in a quiet voice, aware of the sleeping Riven.

"I was trying to fix my shield or, at least, get it as functional as it can be." Leona's eyes scanned her weapon of choice. "It'd be a shame to throw it away."

"You'd be defenseless."

Leona eyed her with a questioning look. "You know better than to believe I'd be doomed without a shield."

Diana smirked. "I know. I was just testing you."

 _Now_ she was confused. "Testing me?" A nod from Diana. "What for?"

"To see how you'd take a jab at your pride," Diana said truthfully as she sat up, crossing her legs. "You did well, in case you're wondering."

Leona's eyes focused on the ground as her brows rose. With a quick, small nod, she went back to her work, the sound of her hands against the iron, smoothing it out being the only thing audible.

Diana realized she was letting her take her time to explain.

_Progress._

She didn't let her face show she was happy with such facts, though.

Instead, she closed her eyes and began to tell her story.

"Helena and I had schemed a plan that would take place during your trip to Demacia."

Leona's sound stopped immediately.

Diana continued. "I remember it as if it had just happened." Her eyes opened, but she wasn't looking at Leona, her almost glary look being stuck to the fire between them. "Lena and I had been researching, investigating, reading the old, forbidden books we came across while we fulfilled some idle task for Mistress Sekhet. I taught her enough Old Rakkor for her to manage and, as days went by, we found out a lot of  _conflicting_ information." Diana's eyes climbed up from the fire to Leona's eyes. "What we read in those books did not match what we had been taught."

There was a certain tension to the air, held in place by their stares.

But Leona did not speak up, her quiet, concentrated frown the only indication that she was listening to her counterpart, waiting for her to continue.

Diana did so. "Eventually she found information about certain burial grounds that were believed to hold the Chosen of the Moon. This place was called  _The Sun's Temple."_ She finally said, watching as Leona's jaw feathered at the mention of the Moon, but her eyes softened with confusion at the temple's name.

" _The Sun's Temple?"_

"The place where you accused me of  _heresy_ and sentenced me to die by your hand."

The way Diana had deadpanned it…

Leona blushed. "Oh."

Diana nodded, "The Chosen of the Sun had built it for the Chosen of the Moon as a gift. I'm still ignorant of her motives, but I know who built it and the person she built it for."

Diana's eyes moved towards the fire. "This temple remains hidden to mere mortals, but it shows itself to those who are worthy of finding it, like me." She looked at Leona from the corner of her eye. "Like you, until you were deemed unworthy, that night when you betrayed me."

Leona got a bit heated up. "I didn't-"

Her fire died immediately under Diana's eyes.

She quieted down.

"So the Temple disappeared in front of your eyes, I'm assuming."

Leona looked down at the ground, frustration building up, though she didn't let it shine through. "It did. I never understood why."

"It had been because you turned your back on our beliefs, so the Sun turned her back on you."

Leona looked at Diana. "What?"

Diana was looking back, no anger to be found, but something nearing pity in those silver eyes. "You lost your faith, choosing to follow the path of those who are blind to the truth. This made Edlyn disown you."

Leona opened her mouth, ready to say she hadn't lost her faith, but then she closed it, her mind registering the uncanny name. "Edlyn." She said instead, testing the name on her tongue.

She noticed how Diana was nodding. "She's the previous Chosen of the Sun, the voice you had been hearing inside your head all along, even though you can't hear her anymore."

It made a lump form in her throat. "You don't know that."

"Except I do," Diana simply said, "Because I can hear Skadi and, on occasions, I can hear Edlyn, too." Her gaze turned intense, "She talks to me from time to time, voicing her frustrations with you."

Leona was growing heated. " _That's not-"_

She was silenced by Diana's hand on her mouth, her glare going from Leona to the sleeping, stirring Riven.

So Leona quieted down and, when Diana moved away, tried again, though lower. "That's not true."

"It is, Leona. You know this." Diana said back.

It only made Leona more frustrated, her eyes closed shut, her teeth gritting, her hands on her hair, her body completely tense as she mumbled, "Shut up, shut up, shut-"

She felt a hand on her shoulder, a flinch overcoming her before she finally looked up.

Diana was looking back, a softness to her eyes that hadn't been there before, that hadn't been there for quite a long time.

"It's okay to feel lost, Leona." She said, a small, kind of apologetic smile on her lips. "I've felt like that for most of my life."

Leona was shaking her head, trying to build up her walls again.

But Diana was having none of it as she placed her other hand on Leona's free shoulder. "You don't have to think of me as a friend, but you could stop thinking of me as an enemy, too." Her small smirk was still in place as she said, "I know you know I'm the other side to your coin, so you might as well let me be a part of what you're feeling, too."

So Leona closed her eyes with all of her rage and, when she opened them again, there were tears instead of fury.

"I don't understand what is going on, anymore. I can't understand what I did wrong."

Diana sighed, her exhaustion about all of this madness shining through. "You've been blinded, Leona. You've been spoon fed the lies of the Solari and the Lunari."

Leona frowned. "Solari and Lunari, not just Solari?"

Diana nodded. "They're rip offs of the one, true religion of our people and our goddesses, the Empyreans."

Leona's frown just deepened. "I don't-"

"-Understand, I know." Diana said, slowly nodding, a gentle tone to her voice. "You will with time, if you're willing to. You just have to understand that what you believe to be true, now, may not be it. Can you do that, not for me, but for yourself?"

Leona's head lolled to a side. "For myself?"

Diana nodded. "For your own peace of mind. If you open your heart, maybe,  _just_ maybe, Edlyn will talk to you again, but you have to trust my word, for now, for a promise of answers is all I can give you at the moment."

_And I've never broken my promises to you. Never._

Leona seemed to be doubting her, though.

But, after a moment of hesitation, those walls she had been trying to build ceased growing as she said, "I guess I can do that."

Diana grinned. "Thank you."

And she missed how Leona looked at her, the unfiltered longing for what had been there so many years ago.

Maybe the warrior would have allowed herself to say something about it, to tell her how much she missed it, but then Riven woke up, a long yawn escaping her mouth.

"How long have I been out, Di?" She asked, unaware of Leona's presence, her foggy, sleepy mind forgetting about her for a brief second.

"I was out for just as much, so I have no fucking clue."

Riven chuckled. She started to turn around to look at Diana, "That was funny-"

She didn't finish her phrase as she saw Leona looking at her, sitting down next to the Moon Priestess.

"Oh, right." She said, monotone. "You were here."

Leona nodded, "I was here."

"What are you even sticking around for, anyways?" Riven quickly shot at her. "I don't understand why we let you tag along."

"Riven." Diana ground out.

"What?" Riven asked her, blood red eyes locked on silver ones. "You know she deserves to die."

Diana raised a brow. "And so do you, according to your land's laws."

"But my land sucks."

"And hers does, too."

Riven smirked. "Wasn't she a Ra-Horak? Technically, the Solari aren't her  _lands."_

"The Ra-Horak suck just as much, idiot." Diana said, a shit eating grin on her face as she asked, "Your point?"

And she had to do her best not to laugh as Riven just stood up and stomped her way away from them, calling over her shoulder a rushed, "Ionia's this way."

Diana chuckled, shaking her head. She looked at Leona, "She'll relax in a while." She stood up, "Come on, let's go."

Leona got up, "Wait, I still don't-"

"Yeah, yeah. You still don't know what the Hell those creatures were." Diana said as she started walking, Leona unconsciously walking alongside her. "I'll explain as we walk, Leo. But you should know they're basically the reason why we're Chosen."

Leona's brows rose, but now because of the information Diana had just spilled.

_You called me Leo._

"Okay," She said, nodding as she did so, "Lead the way, Di."

Diana smirked at her and nodded, staring ahead then, leading the auburn haired warrior.

_I don't even know what I should make of it._

_Let's call it truce, for now._


	33. Chapter 33

"So those creatures come from the Void."

A nod from Diana.

"And our main objective, as Chosens, is to protect this realm from them."

"Well, our main objective is to defend balance, but they threaten it, so we might as well fight them."

"Oh, I see." Leona responded, then remained quiet as they walked, her eyes intense on the ground.

Diana had told her about the creatures and how Skadi had informed her she had to fight them off, all as they slowly walked, Riven a few steps ahead of them.

She hadn't told her about Skadi and Edlyn's link to each other just yet, though.

She wouldn't tell her until Leona asked—

"And, about… about  _Skadi…"_

Diana braced herself. "Yes?"

Leona looked at her out of the corner of her eye. "You can hear her, right?"

"I can hear her, feel her, even see her." Diana responded.

" _See her?"_ A nod from Diana. "What does she look like?" Leona asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

Diana looked ahead as she frowned. "Silver hair, silver eyes… a calmness to her demeanor that is ethereal." She closed her eyes. "She's beautiful."

"Does she have the Lunari symbol on her forehead like you?"

"No," Diana said, a scowl taking over her face.

Leona frowned, confusion getting her. "Then why do you have it?"

"Because it's a scar," And then Diana was glaring right at her as she said, "Eos branded me with it."

She didn't miss the silent shock on Leona's face, the horror hiding behind unlit, dull, yet still golden eyes.

So she continued. "Skadi tried to heal it, but she couldn't make it go away completely, so it remains on me like a reminder of what blind fools with power can do." She looked ahead, narrowing her eyes. "A reminder of why I'm still kicking."

Leona stared at her for a solid minute, then looked ahead, Diana's words still swimming around in her head as she pondered them.

Her core beliefs begged her not to believe her, yet…

...yet her heart knew Diana. The few moments shared between them had told her enough for her to know Diana was still the same person, even if something else had changed in her.

Changed between them.

So she followed her gut and whispered out a faint, "I'm sorry."

It surprised Diana a bit, but not enough. "Half hearted apologies always come too late."

Leona clenched her jaw. Truth be told, she couldn't deny the conflict inside of her and how a side of her struggled with believing Diana.

So she opted for throwing Diana for yet another loop as she simply said, "I know."

And silence grew in between them.

"And, uh," Leona broke it, "Did you see…?"

Diana eyed her with a frown as she tried to guess what she was trying to ask.

"Did you see  _Edlyn?"_

Diana formed a small  _oh_ with her lips before chuckling, "Yes, I can see her, too."

"And what does she look like?" Leona quickly fired, her wonder at the deity overcoming her doubts for a moment.

Diana smirked as Edlyn slowly appeared, right next to Leona, a sinful smile on her lips and hooded eyes locked onto hers.

"Her hair is like fire and her eyes are like molten gold," She said, her pupils darting over to her protector's lover for brief instants. "She's loud and her presence could take over any room, with her being always the center of attention. She wields a battleaxe, though I believe she could crush her foes with just her hands."

She saw Edlyn nod only once. She knew what that meant.

"And she's standing right behind you."

Leona froze, Edlyn and Diana halting for a moment.

Slowly, Leona turned her head around.

But no one was there for  _her_ to see.

Diana, on the other hand, could see how close she had come to Edlyn's face, both being the same height.

"I can't see her." Leona said, frustration clawing at the seams of her words.

Diana moved until she was standing behind her. "But you may still feel her. Focus." She allowed the Moon to fuel her, her eyes shining with her strength. "What do you feel?"

Leona closed her eyes. "Cold on my back."

"That would be the Night." Diana said, watching as Edlyn carefully breathed out, her breath washing over Leona's face.

"I feel warmth."

Diana smirked. "A hot breath." Her eyes swayed to Leona's expression.

Completely missing the fury slowly coating Edlyn's.

Leona frowned, "Too hot." She said, then clawed at her own neck, "I can't breath—"

Diana pulled her back, making her fall to the ground as she started coughing and gasping for air, standing right where Leona had stood just a moment ago.

A glaring Edlyn looked from Leona to her.

"That's your Goddess teaching you a lesson," Diana said, her eyes not wavering from Edlyn's, "And I think it was enough teaching for now."

Edlyn took one step closer to her. " _ **But the lesson is not over just yet.**_ " She said, then her expression softened as she caressed Diana's cheek with her hand and added, " _ **Not for either of you."**_

And then, as quick as the blink of an eye, Edlyn vanished, leaving Diana alone with a frown on her face. She turned around at the sound of Leona's coughing, "Are you okay?"

Leona nodded, her coughing subsiding. "Yeah, intact." Diana offered her a hand and she took it, standing up as she said, "I'm guessing she's not very happy with me."

"She isn't." Diana said, ready to release Leona's hand when she paid attention to her fingers, accidentally laid over Leona's pulse on her wrist.

She couldn't recall a time when Leona's heart had gone faster than that.

And she  _could_ recall more than a few times when she had made it race.

Diana smirked. "You weren't expecting it."

"For her to shove me?" Leona asked, "No, not really—"

"No," Diana cut her off. "Not the shove. Edlyn. You weren't expecting Edlyn to be real."

Leona blushed as she turned away from Diana, trying to hide it. "What was I to make of Helena's imaginary friend?"

"Yeah, an imaginary friend who she happens to share with me, even in spite of the fact that we haven't been in each others' presence in what seems like a lifetime."

Leona didn't turn around yet.

She heard Diana's low, teasing chuckle.

"You should start believing in ghosts, Leo." She said, patting the woman on her back. "Because they're real and they're here, haunting us whenever they can."

And then Leona saw someone approach them.

"Speaking of ghosts…"

"Are you going to slow us any more?" Riven asked in an annoyed tone to Leona, making the Solari roll her eyes. "Let's go." She said, turning around and walking again.

No matter how little she tolerated her, both started moving at the sound of the Noxian's command.

"How in oblivion did you meet her?" Leona asked between gritted teeth.

_Ah, there it is. The one question she had been meaning to ask._

"By accident."

"A tragic one."

"I'd say it was a fortune I found her."

" _A fortune?"_ Leona asked, then scoffed as she shook her head.

"Why are you so disbelieving when you don't even know the story?"

Leona blushed in embarrassment at being caught red handed, Diana pointing out her pettiness. So she quickly fired back with a pitiful excuse, "Because she's annoying! She sounds and looks annoying. I can't figure how  _that_ could ever be fortunate."

Diana contained her laughter, "Well, she  _did_ save my life."

Leona's eyes snapped back to her at those words. "Did she?" Diana nodded. "How so?"

"We met by accident as I wondered the forest," Diana begun, her eyes locking on Riven's frame, a small smirk inevitably taking over her face. "We didn't get along right away, but when we parted ways, I ended up surrounded by Terrors, too many for me to handle alone. If it weren't for the fact that she had followed me, I would have died."

Leona frowned, her eyes following Diana's, her frown turning into a glare. "I don't like her. At all."

"Well," Diana began, "It's not  _you_ who has to like her," She looked at Leona then, "It's me." Her smirk still in place, "And I do."

"I still don't understand why you keep her around."

"Leona."

Diana had stopped walking. Leona turned to look at a scowling warrior.

She gulped.

Diana continued as she stepped closer and closer. "Ever since you arrived, you haven't been able to stop being the entitled little brat that you've been after I left, questioning  _my_ choices despite being  _me_  the one in charge, any kind of authority you had being left behind, forgotten in a worthless past."

Those silver eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight. "Despite what you may think, the only one who's opinion I'll consider as important as mine is Riven's and she's been logical enough to understand that you're around because I chose to spare you, despite better judgement. She understands this is something I've allowed to happen and doesn't question me nor talk  _that_ much shit about you, so  _suck it up, grow up_ and leave it be."

She felt the threat when Diana then added, "Or this little truce we have will stop being."

And much to Leona's dismay, Diana then walked faster, leaving her behind, catching up with Riven and matching her step, an arm making it over the white haired woman's shoulders a few breaths later.

She had succeeded.

No matter how hard Diana had tried, Leona had managed to finally push her away.

_What a champ you are, dumbass._

With a sigh, Leona started walking again, Diana's words having finally struck down the last remaining part of her willing to fight her back.

* * *

"Excuse me, Acolyte. What did you say? Could you repeat it?"

"I'm telling you, My Elders, the Chosen One is nowhere to be found."

Eos looked at Elder Kieran, positioned to his right, with a look of concern and somewhat anger, a gaze to which Kieran responded with a nervous smirk and the avoidance of his eyes.

Where in oblivion was his most valuable weapon?

Leona had been missing for pretty much a day and  _no one_ saw her.

No one.

Well, maybe Helena did, but The Sun knew it would be impossible to coax anything out of that child. Eos knew that much, too.

After all, he was the one numbing her into uselessness, feeding her blood poison, toxic substances clouding her mind until she was delusional.

He vaguely smirked at the thought of how he had ruined the girl. Surely, he was sad he had lost his best Scholar -avoiding to think of the  _other best_ he had, which he didn't lose but instead saw  _turn_ into an official enemy, rather than a quiet rival- but, truth be told, he was glad the girl couldn't do anything against him.

She was the only one who knew  _he_ had killed Khait instead of Diana.

The only one who could actually turn Leona against him.

Good to know Leona found her delirious, though.

But then that made his mind spiral back to Leona…

She was gone, vanished completely without anyone being alerted of her disappearance until it was already too late.

Her armor was still there, her sword and shield placed right by its' side...

...but the Ra-Horak filth she had brought with herself was gone, too, along with her old practice shield.

Eos could hear idle conversation happening around him, but he was too busy letting the cogs inside his head move to even pay attention.

Her stuff was gone, along with her.

No one in the Temple would dare mess with her.

It all could only mean that she had deliberately chosen to leave.

And she had done so in the silence of the  _Night._

In Eos' head, that was a bad omen. Not for Leona, for the truth was that he didn't really care about her, but for  _him._

_She left in the Night, with her filthy Ra-Horak armor and that rusty shield of hers._

_If she left at Night, then she's looking for the Heretic._

_And if she's roaming at Night, then she'll be found by the Heretic._

_And if she finds the Heretic..._

"What do you mean with  _the Chosen One is nowhere to be found?"_  Eos suddenly said, slowly looking back at his two guards, his eyes narrowed.

The guard who was willing to speak grew more and more nervous by the second, his words slowly stumbling upon themselves as he stuttered, "I, I mean that our Chosen-"

" _What do you mean that our Chosen is nowhere to be found?!"_ Eos asked again, this time raising his voice to a shout, making the guards flinch and take one step backwards.

"My, my Elder-"

But he couldn't finish his sentence, for Eos was already in front of him, grabbing him by the collar of his clothes. "You're telling me the Chosen Of The Sun has been missing for, what, maybe a day already, and  _no one's_ bothered enough to  _find her?!"_

"My Elder, we've already combed the Temple and she's not here-"

" _Then go look for her, you idiots!"_ Eos said, pushing the man until he crashed against his other two colleagues. "If she's not here, then she's in danger, the Scorn Of The Moon being a big threat!" He roared, trying to excuse his fear under the promises of danger for their Beloved Chosen.

He turned around and walked away from the Acolytes, walking back to his chair. "Go out and look for her, send  _every warrior_ out, we  _must_ find her. Do not come back until you've found her. Am I understood?"

The guards quickly nodded. "Yes, My Elder." They all said in unison.

And, without any other word, they turned on their feet and left.

Ready to start their hunt.


	34. Chapter 34

"We would already be in Ionia if it weren't for  _Sunny Day_  slowing us down, you know."

Diana grimaced at Riven's stern tone. "I know."

"I said  _midnight,"_ Riven recalled, still looking ahead, not acknowledging Diana at all. "It's past midnight and we aren't there yet. I  _do_ wonder why?"

Diana sighed. "Riven…"

Riven looked at her. "Will she ever stop being insufferable?" She suddenly mused out loud, looking at Diana as if she had all the answers. "Because I swear on the memory of the Crimson Elite, if she doesn't stop being this unbearable, I'll steal this kill from you and claim it as my own."

Despite Riven's dark humor or, better said, lack thereof -just like in the Chosen Of The Moon's case-, Diana chuckled. The fact that the Noxian wasn't using an angry tone but more of a curious one did not help the case but only made her find it even more comical. "I hope she'll stop being annoying anytime soon. If not, the kill's all yours."

Riven looked somewhat relieved, her red eyes open wide as she nodded, "Thank you, thank you." She said, trying to hide a smirk of her own as she looked at the ground.

They walked a few steps, side by side, and suddenly Leona was out of the Noxian's mind, her head plagued with the night, the silence, the calm tranquility.

And Diana.

"Hey, it would be wonderful if you could do that thing you'd do to me."

Diana looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Which thing?"

And Riven found it hard to meet her eyes, so she was still staring ahead as she said, "Helping me sleep."

Diana was trying to look for the Noxian's eyes, but a hand taking her own and entwining its' fingers with hers made her look down.

Riven was holding her.

"I was able to sleep last time, but it wasn't a restful sleep." She eyed Diana out of the corner of her eye. "Unfortunately, it would seem that I'm completely dependant of you for that."

Diana offered the girl a sad smile. "Then you don't have to worry, for I'll take care of it forever, if necessary."

Riven's eyes hesitantly moved towards Diana's, something so intense shining in them that the Empyrean had no words to describe it. "Can you promise me so?"

"I swear it on my Goddesses, Riven."

There had been no doubt from her side.

The white haired warrior chuckled and looked away.

She didn't let go of her hand, though.

"Can I ask you something?"

Riven looked at Diana at that. "Sure."

The former Scholar looked into red eyes as she said, "If you dislike her so much, why did you stop me from killing her?"

Riven's eyes softened, a certain wisdom to her demeanor that Diana had never seen before, even if she had felt it.

And her words were proof of it.

"Because I wouldn't want you to do something you'd regret later on. She's as important as you to the Empyreans, as crucial and essential, no matter how hard headed she is, and she shares a very deep link with you, whether we like it or not. I would hate to see you kill her only to end back in the beginning, with no way to clean your name and a broken soul to bear for eternity."

Then Riven's stare grew intense as she added, "I'd hate to see you battle ghosts in your sleep, as someone else we know does." And a sour wink of an eye.

It could have brought Diana to her knees, the despair she felt at that.

Instead, though, the moonlit warrior squeezed Riven's hand.

She kept the pressure there as the Noxian squeezed back.

They heard approaching footsteps and suddenly Leona came to view, as she walked side by side with them, flanking Riven this time, instead of leaving Diana in the middle between them.

Riven paid her no mind.

Diana felt uncomfortable and looked ahead.

A very, very unstable and rather awkward silence settled over them all.

"Riven."

It hadn't been Diana who said the name.

"Hm?" The white haired woman hummed, looking at Leona with confusion, not having expected the Solari to try and engage with her in a conversation.

"How is it that you're alive?" Leona asked, a deep frown on her face. "You were reported dead during the Noxian inva-"

"I know, no need to keep talking." Riven let out between gritted teeth, with no real anger against Leona in her voice, but fear for her mental state forcing her to stop the words from coming out of the auburn haired woman's mouth.

Thankfully, Leona quieted down.

"Whatever you believe to be the story, I can assure you that the Noxian Invasion didn't go like that."

The Solari didn't miss the numbness in Riven's face, the contrasting fury in her eyes.

"I know the version that circulates your lands." She said harshly. "That I entered the Placidium, bloodthirsty. That I avoided the fallen because I wanted a real challenge. That I humiliated the only one who stood in my way." She looked at Leona, her eyes looking like a bloody battlefield, "That I struck down Irelia Lito and left her in a bloody puddle, before some creature from beyond saved her life and she kicked me out, Zaun's  _aid_ annihilating me." She finished, a mocking tone to her words as she remembered Singed's  _help_.

Then Riven looked ahead again as she said, "I never made it to the Placidium."

The Night was as silent as a graveyard.

"I guided the Zaunite Unit with the Crimson Elite. Irelia and her soldiers met us outside the city. We battled until we saw a flaming arrow in the sky. The Ionian Captain and I managed to understand what would happen and protect ourselves, but we had to bear and watch the rest die slowly. It was too much for me, so I fainted. I woke up the next morning, alone amongst a sea of bodies and silently left, the faces of the dead haunting my every step, my reputation destroyed and my life considered to have reached its' conclusion. We hadn't known about the biochemical terrors. We had no clue of what kind of horror we were escorting into Ionia."

She narrowed her eyes, "I hate Zaun for that. I hate Noxus, too, for attempting that prideless war. I hate myself for being a Noxian. So now I'm on my way to Ionia, not only to help my dearest friend, but also to find a certain peace of mind." She looked at Leona, "Does that answer your question or do you feel like torturing me more by asking for details, too?"

Diana became alarmed at that. "Riven-"

But a hard look from Leona quieted her down.

Then the Solari was looking into Riven's eyes, a serious look on her face as she said, "I was just curious as to how you were still alive."

Riven's lip was raised in a snarl, teeth showing as she said, "Well, curiosity killed the cat."

"It was not my intention to offend you."

"Well, you offended the memory of my comrades."

"I apologize for that."

Riven closed her eyes. "Just shut up."

And, surprisingly so, Leona did just that.

And they kept walking.

But Diana couldn't take them anymore- "Did you two hear that?"

Riven and Leona slowly moved into an action stance, Riven favoring offensive as she prepared to strike an unexpected foe, Leona shielding the Noxian's back.

"No," Riven said, scanning their surroundings with the movement of her pupils, "What did you hear?"

"Oh," Diana focused straight ahead, "Maybe my powers allowed me to hear it."

"Moon senses and all that?" Leona asked, trying to sound doubtful but sounding worried instead.

Diana nodded, "I can sense more during nighttime." She looked at the two of them, "I'll walk a few steps ahead and scan the path, you two keep going. I'll let you know if I see something."

Riven and Leona nodded, "Understood." The Noxian said, both of them slowly moving once more, watching Diana as she disappeared in the darkness, leaving only a rush of lunar light behind.

And then the former Hand of Noxus saw Leona strap her shield to her back, "You can drop your guard, you know?" She heard her say.

 _She must be crazy._ "What do you think you're doing?"

Leona smiled, "We're fine, there's no threat." Leona said, relaxing immediately. "She just wanted an excuse to leave us for a bit."

Riven seemed doubtful, but listened to Leona nonetheless, dropping her guard, slowly. "And how do you know that?"

"Because she's a pretty bad liar." She said, looking ahead to where Diana had been before speeding up. "She's always been very bad at lying."

Riven could recall Diana mentioning that fact about herself during their games of questions. "You're right," She said, sheathing her blade, a frown still on her face.

Leona nodded. "Yeah."

Then they fell quiet, but Riven could only think of one thing.

_This is going to be a long, very awkward, night._

* * *

_**What in the Void do you think you're doing?** _

Diana sighed and closed her eyes as she kept running. "By the Gods, Skadi, you sound like my mother."

_**But you didn't get to meet her, what do you mean?** _

Diana abruptly stopped running, a shocked expression on her face. "Okay, that was incredibly  _rude_ of you." She said to her protector, surprised at the dark humor, but not really offended.

_**Diana, you're missing the point—** _

"I needed a time out," She finally confessed, her legs slowly moving on their own accord. "I was getting tired of them throwing daggers at each other. Hopefully, they'll reach some sort of common grounds now that they're alone."

_**Well…** _

"And when I say I need a time out, I mean I'd like some time to decompress, instead of argue with you."

Skadi didn't answer her at that.

"Thank you."

Again, she was greeted with silence.

Diana walked towards a tree and slumped down, sitting on the ground, her back against its' trunk.

What the Hell was Leona doing with them? Yeah, sure, looking for answers, but what had sparked such a search?

Surely, Helena.

And how did Helena know about Skadi and Edlyn?

Hopefully, reading, because if she had met them, somehow…

... _then that could mean she's in danger, in a way._

Leona's sudden appearance and apparent alliance had thrown the Empyrean for a loop, but she guessed that it meant things were finally coming together.

It also meant they might get complicated, though.

She sighed, looking up at the sky.

New Moon.

"Is this a sign, my Goddess?"

No answer.

Diana's expression turned into one of boredom, one eyebrow raising as she was slightly annoyed but not at all surprised.

"Hah, hah. Silent treatment. Very funny."

 _ **You**_ **did**   _ **put me on time out.**_

"You know I didn't mean—"

She quieted at a faint, distant sound.

_**What was that?** _

She stood up, looking in that direction.

The sound grew louder.

_Sounds like marching._

_**It does.** _

Her eyes widened at that fact.

The sound became louder and louder.

If it  _was_  marching, then it wasn't a simple scouting group.

Judging by the thundering steps, it was a whole battalion.

_**Shit.** _

"Shit," She echoed her mistress, turning around and-

_**Run!** _

-running like the wind.

* * *

"You remembered that."

Leona hadn't been expecting the quiet warrior to speak, so she didn't really hear her. "Huh?"

"I said that you remembered that." Riven repeated, looking at Leona. "About Diana."

Leona frowned for a moment, trying to make sense of the woman's words." What, that she's a bad liar?" Riven nodded. "Yeah, I like to believe I remember her pretty well."

It bothered Riven that Leona had remembered a fact about Diana. It made her feel a certain way, it made her look for a reason to prove she knew Diana better. "But you only know a  _memory_ of her. She's not the same woman she used to be when she was a Solari, are you aware of that?"

Leona's frown deepened at such words. "What do you mean?"

And she got lost in red eyes as Riven continued speaking, an emotion unlike the contained fury from before shining in them. "You remember Diana the Acolyte, the Scholar, the  _moon-addled_ Solari. You never got to know Diana, the Lunar Priestess, the Chosen Of The Moon, the Empyrean. And truth be told," She smirked a bit, feeling she had caught the warrior. "You don't want to know her, either."

It kind of offended Leona. "That's not-"

"You can lie to me all you want, but just like Diana is a very bad liar, I'm a very good one. And if there's something good liars can do," She rolled her shoulders, demonstrating how at ease she was, knowing she was right. "Is detect lies, no matter how good they are."

Leona stumbled over her own words, a faint blush covering her face. "I, I just, I-"

"You don't want to admit she's changed. If anything, you want things to go back to how they used to be." Riven said, interrupting Leona.

She sighed, admitting defeat. "Fine. You win. I'm not okay with this."

She didn't acknowledge the other side to Riven's statement, the part that said she wanted to go back to normal.

But, wasn't this a  _new_ normal?

"There you go," Riven said, a teasing tone on her voice. "Doesn't it feel good admitting it out loud?"

Leona nodded, "I must admit it does."

"There's nothing inherently bad with you not accepting her just yet," Riven said as she looked ahead. "Diana is completely aware of it. She's giving you time to come to terms with the fact that you've been fed lies. She's giving you time to open your eyes and see the truth."

Leona once more felt insulted. How dare the Noxian subtly suggest she knew Diana better than her former lover? "And how would you know all of that? How would you know what Diana thinks and believes so well? She was the one to feed me lies in the first place." Leona added, as if trying to emphasize a point she was trying to make.

"Might be true, but then again, it's also true that she didn't know any better and, when she did know, you didn't listen." Riven looked at her eyes once more, this time something even deeper piercing through Leona's stare. "I never got to know Diana the Solari, but I did get to know, and very well, if I may add, Diana, the Empyrean. You know a memory of her, while I know who she really is, now, with all the changes and backstory justifying them and let me tell you this; If you think she'll forgive your sins, you're dead wrong."

Leona got lost for a brief second, "My sins?"

And Riven stopped walking, turning to Leona and grabbing her by the collar, bringing the Solari's face close to her own. "You killed her father," She said between gritted teeth, "And that pisses me off as much as it pisses her off."

Leona felt the need to defend herself. "She killed mine," She answered in a tone just as angry. "An eye for an eye."

And Riven's eyes grew in size for a second. Then, after her surprise washed away a bit, she released Leona, mirthless laughter bubbling up her throat and out of her mouth. "Oh, Leona, you really are stupid."

The Solari didn't like that, "What did you say?"

Riven stopped laughing and looked at Leona with a dark smile. "I said you're stupid."

And then Leona was the one grabbing Riven by her clothing, "You'd better take that back now." She said, finally tired of the Noxian's antics.

"But really, should I? I mean, after all,  _you're_ the one being dumb, not me."

And Leona finally asked what Riven had hoping she would. "And what would make you believe that?"

"The fact that you actually believe Diana would kill the man who was like a father to you."

It confused Leona. "She did."

Riven tried not to laugh at her idiocy. "Really now? And what would be a good motive for her to kill him, hm? Tell me, what would be a reason she could have to kill Khait, the only man who helped her when no one else did or could?"

Leona released Riven. The Noxian just asked her the same question again.

"Why would Diana kill Khait when he was the only one to stand by her side, the whole time? Not even you would do that for her and you were her  _lover."_

Leona felt like she couldn't breathe. It wasn't true. "Stop that."

Had Diana talked about them being lovers to this woman?

"Why would Diana kill Khait and then wield the khopesh he made with so much respect for its' creator?"

"Cut it off."

"Why would she-"

" _Stop."_

And Riven stopped at the quiet, soft plea.

Leona was looking away from her, her back to the Noxian, her hands on her ears.

It reminded Riven of herself every time she'd have to go back in time, when she'd be asked about the night when her only friends had been killed.

"Okay." She said.

Because she knew she wasn't making Leona think.

She was making her see Khait's body, lifeless, on the ground.

That wasn't her aim.

Still...

" _This_ is what I feel every time someone asks about that night." Riven told her, spite contorting her face. "The night Noxus and Zaun played me and my own for all that we were. I don't want to spill any more  _Blood for Noxus._ I want to spill Noxian blood, instead. Do you understand?"

She hadn't asked in hopes for an answer.

Riven turned as she saw Leona focus on her words once more, the fear that had gripped her heart slowly untightening its' hold.

"And before you think I'm lying, because I  _did_ say i'm a very good liar, think of this," Riven added, going back to their previous conversation. "A liar lies because there's something to win from it. What do I get from lying to you? Nothing."

Then her mouth betrayed her, when she quietly added, "If anything, I got something to lose."

Leona heard her.

But she wasn't ready to confront the Noxian again, after the mental massacre she faced because of her.

So, quietly, she let out a long breath as she closed her eyes and stood straight, reopening them only to see the bright, night sky, filled with stars and a New Moon.

Then, she heard movement, so she turned to look at Riven.

The Noxian was frowning. "That wasn't me." But she heard it, too.

They suddenly saw Diana running towards them, a somewhat comical look of fear on her face.

And, behind her, the Solari.


	35. Chapter 35

Diana didn't give Leona time to process what was going on before she rushed towards her and, still using her powers, made the both of them land on top of a tree branch, concealed from prying eyes.

" _Did you tell anybody where you were going to?!"_ She asked her, jagged breaths coming out of her mouth, too.

The alarmed whisper harmonized pretty well with the wild look on Diana's face. Leona didn't know what to say. "I—"

" _Leona!"_ Diana interrupted her, stopping at the sound of men underneath them, probably surrounding Riven, her head turning so as to look at the scene below.

"Wanderer!" One of the guards called. "Identify yourself!"

"Well, good evening to you too, guys." Riven said in her loud voice, a sound that demanded respect.

"Wanderer," Another guard intervened, "We just have a few questions for you."

"I bet you do."

" _Leona,"_ Diana began as she looked at Leona again, " _I swear by our Goddesses, if you told someone—"_

She cut herself off as her eyes followed Leona's, ignoring her red face, her hands playing with—

Diana snatched the necklace that had been around Leona's neck, ripping it from her and inspecting it.

_A charm with the Demacian coat of arms._

_Had it been there all along?!_

And it was warm with some kind of magic.

Diana's eyes were alit. " _Who the Hell did you tell about this!?"_

" _Diana,"_ Leona started, " _I can—"_

"I'm telling you," They heard Riven talk again, "The person you're looking for went  _that_ way." She said, emphasizing her words. "Same direction you guys came from." She then added with a comical tone. "Maybe you walked past each other or whatever."

"You shouldn't talk about the Chosen Of The Sun so lightly. It's disrespectful."

" _Disrespectful?"_ Riven said, then huffed. She sounded offended. "Well, she should turn the Sun down a notch! It hurts my sensitive eyes."

She was poking the soldiers' patience. "Talking like that is sinful! Stop or we'll act upon it!"

And Diana knew Riven was still tired, still recovering from their last battle.

She knew she should let it go, for they outnumbered them greatly and they were still exhausted.

But she  _knew_ Riven.

So she wasn't surprised to hear her taunt them as she said, "Woah, woah. Slow down. It's only sinful if I belong to your religion and, last time I checked, I wasn't walking around some old temple with only bathrobes on."

And as she heard the sound of battle beginning, Diana jumped to Riven's side, succeeding at stopping the soldier's advance… for a minute.

"Oh, look!" Riven said, "Is  _this_ the one you're looking for?" Then Riven pretended to look at Diana with more attention and said, "Oh, no, nevermind. She's pale enough she makes me believe she never even saw daylight."

Diana glared at her as the soldiers approached them once more. " _Riven!"_

Riven smirked, "Hello, stranger."

And as they were about to be hit, Diana protected the both of them with what remained of her power, her exhaustion being evident on how, at the touch of her shield, her enemies flew backwards instead of being harmed by her.

So Riven unsheathed that broken blade of hers, Diana doing the same with her khopesh.

"What did you do to our Chosen, heretic?!" One of the soldiers taunted Diana.

Diana's eyes opened wide as she looked into that specific man's eyes and said, in the lowest voice she could muster up, "I devoured her soul."

Riven immediately started laughing.

The distraction earned her a slash to the forearm.

That man didn't survive, for Riven's anger pushed her to behead him.

_An eye for an eye, like your Chosen says._

She smirked at how that hadn't been an eye for an eye, but an eye for both, instead.

Leona could only watch as both sides to her story fought.

On one side, the Solari, her people, who were clearly looking for her, searching the lands.

On the other side, Diana and Riven, her foes.

But where they really her foes?

After sparing her life, fighting alongside her, informing her of their discoveries.

Letting their guards down near her.

She felt the charm around her neck. It was still hot.

_Good._

They kept fighting, no magic left in either of them. Still, their mastery of their weapons was enough for them to fend them off.

But they were so many.

Riven got carried away, striking down slash after slash on a soldier's shield, obviously trying to scare them away as they hid behind his shield to avoid being hit, the Noxian taking steps forward and making them walk backwards.

She didn't see Diana looking after her, heavy breaths escaping her lips.

Neither saw the one man behind Diana, his shield forgotten, his sword up and ready to strike her down.

Diana heard the sound of iron clashing with iron behind her and turned around to see Leona, out of her hiding spot, her shield up and covering her from what would have been a fatal blow.

Immediately, everyone stopped fighting.

The man who had tried to kill Diana stumbled back, "My-" He stuttered, "My Chosen?"

Leona lowered the shield and looked at him.

"What are you doing here? Why did you shield her?"

_Oh, boy._

Then one of the soldiers managed to put two and two together.

"You… you're with the Heretic?!"

Diana was surprised to see Leona simply, calmly, sighing as an answer.

And then there was a kind of buzzing sound in the air…

It was getting louder.

What the Hell was it?

Diana didn't concentrate on it as much as she concentrated on Leona's focused look, though.

She seemed to be counting under her breath-

"To your left!" She roared out loud at Riven, not even calling her name.

And Riven immediately moved, just as Leona knew the Noxian would, for she was trained to act first, ask questions later.

Just as the warrior pulled Diana with her, to the same side to which Riven had jumped to.

Just as a golden, humongous hammer came to view, hitting the ground with a loud sound, shockwaves rippling around it, the magic of the blow catapulting the Solari far, far away, leaving them alone once more.

Well,  _alone._

_What the Hell was that?_

"It worked!" A bright, high voice chanted from a few feet away from them, where the Hammer had come from. "Thank you for your service."

"It wasn't a problem." Was the answer, by another high, yet somehow tinier, voice.

And when the intruders came to view…

"That is one big hammer for one tiny yordle."

Diana smacked Riven's arm. "Riven!"

"What?"

"That's rude."

"It's only the truth!"

Leona approached the human and the yordle, making Diana and Riven follow her with their eyes and-

_Isn't that the Demacian Mage that helped her before?_

"Thank you for appearing around at such short notice, Lux." Leona said in a calm voice that Diana hadn't heard in ages.

"No need to thank me." The blonde answered. "You should thank Poppy instead."

So Leona was about to crouch when Lux made a disapproving sound with her throat, making Leona stop and stand up again.

She approached the Warrior's ear and quietly whispered, "I would advise you against that. Yordles are too aware of their height and find it offensive."

So Leona looked at her, her mouth forming a big  _Oh,_ as she nodded and looked at Poppy.

And while Leona thanked Poppy for the help...

"Luxanna Crownguard.  _Lux._ "

All of them turned to look at Riven.

She continued, her broken blade still in her hands, undying fire in her eyes, promises of murder hiding in the red, as she took a step or two towards the Demacian. "Garen Crownguard's little sister. I should have recognized you last time."

"I don't like how you're talking,  _Noxian_." Poppy said honestly, spitting her last word as if it had poison, Riven's accent giving her up, bracing herself, readying her hammer to, apparently, blow the former Hand of Noxus out of the map, too.

"I'm not about to pick a fight with her, yordle. Relax." Riven said, not looking away from blue eyes but sheathing her blade and folding her arms in front of her.

Lux walked towards Riven, no staff to be seen on her so, maybe, no threat being posed by the Light Mage.

Maybe.

"I'm not at all surprised you know who I am." Lux said as she came to a stop in front of Riven. "Everyone, unfortunately, knows what they want to know, who I am being an apparently important piece of information. But now, not everyone knows you're still roaming the lands, Riven."

Poppy's eyes widened. " _Riv—"_

"Ok! Time to sleep," Diana immediately said, cutting her off, her hand aimed at Poppy, making the yordle fall to the ground instantly, landing with a loud snore coming out of her mouth, the humongous hammer laid on the land, too.

" _Thank you_." Lux said to Diana then, surprising the Empyrean a little bit. "She's a very sweet being, but her admiration for my brother can get old too fast, making her a little bit…"

"Unbearable." Leona added for her as she joined them.

Lux nodded, sighing in relief, "Yeah."

"Before we keep chit chatting," Diana said, interrupting them all, "Who will explain what's going on here?"

"You were right, Diana." Leona said, "I  _did_ tell someone my departure towards you." Her eyes moved towards Lux. "I told her."

"As soon as Leona informed me that she was coming to find you, I gave her this charm." Lux said, taking the Demacian coat of arms from Leona's hands. "I told her that, if she ever needed me, she could call me with it. She only had to apply some magic to it and I would know."

"And I have no magic left in me." Leona admitted, sourly, "But you do." She added, looking at Diana with a smirk on her face. "So, when you touched the charm…"

Diana's eyes were as big as two plates. "I called the Mage."

Lux nodded. "That's right."

"Speaking of…" Riven stepped in, raising a brow at the blonde. " _Mage?_ How come a Demacian, Luxanna Crownguard, of all Demacians, is a  _mage?_ Last time I checked, your people frowned upon magic."

Lux looked uncomfortable, but not at the question. At the truth. "And they still do. If anyone in Demacia knew about my  _abilities_ , I'd be dead. Probably by my own brother's hand."

"Nobody knows?" Diana questioned, pitying the girl.

Lux shook her head no. "I've been hiding it my whole life and, if you two wouldn't mind, I'd rather keep it that way."

She didn't yet trust her, but she had to admit; she could empathize with her.

Unfortunately.

_Seems all of us in this freaky group are not fit to our homelands._

"I can't believe I'll be doing a Crownguard a favor."

Lux chuckled. "Thank you—"

"But only if you tell  _that_  one and whoever else knows I'm alive that I was a figment of her imagination and I am, actually, dead." Riven abruptly added, pointing at Poppy. "I like my status as a ghost."

Lux nodded. "Sounds fair to me. Demacia doesn't need to know."

"So you're basically betraying your people for me… you really must hate your homeland." Riven had a knowing look to her face. "If someone had told me that I'd have so much in common with a  _Crownguard,_ I would have laughed at them."

Lux laughed, not even bothering to hide how much she agreed with Riven. "I'm a little more open to surprises, but I must admit I would have laughed, too."

"I don't understand, why are you helping  _us?"_

Lux turned to Diana. "I'm not helping you, I'm helping Leona."

It irked Diana. "Same thing."

"She's my friend and she kept my secret safe ever since we met on Demacia, so long ago."

Diana narrowed her eyes.

Lux smiled. "And just like you," She added, with a wink, "I seek truth and knowledge, too."

Diana's eyes widened, "What—"

"Anyway, I should get going. I promised Poppy she'd meet my brother if she helped me with some  _super secret mission_  and she won't believe that it was all a dream if she wakes up in the middle of the woods." Lux quickly shot, successfully cutting Diana off.

"She doesn't have to meet your meat head of a brother if she believes it was a dream." Riven observed.

"True, but she really wants to." Lux said, a small smile on her lips. "Besides, once she meets him, maybe that admiration she feels for him will die out."

Riven barked a laugh. "Most definitely."

Lux turned and walked towards Poppy, watching her with a tired grimace. She looked at Diana, then. "Is there a way you can help me out…?"

"Oh." And with a wave of Diana's hand, Poppy stood up, her eyes still closed, hammer in her hands. "She'll sleepwalk wherever you tell her to."

"Really…?" Lux looked at Poppy. "Poppy, to Demacia."

Automatically, the yordle began walking back.

"That's… useful. Very useful." Lux said, staring after the small creature. Then, she looked at the rest over her shoulder as she walked away, "Thank you! Good luck on Ionia."

Riven scoffed, "You think I'll need it?"

"Not you," Lux said, then looked at Leona. " _Her._ It's the Lunar Revel."

Riven's eyes widened, "Oh,  _right!"_ She said, remembering the dates. "It began at midnight!" She looked at Leona, who stared after Lux with a grimace.

And then she began laughing.

With a sheepish look on her face and a mouthed  _Sorry,_ the Mage left in the night, leaving them alone.

"Well, there goes the last bit of magic I could use." Diana said, then sighed, "I need vacations."

"You know, I keep saying that I hate Demacians but I think I'll make an exception with this one." Riven said when she finally managed to calm down.

Diana chuckled, shaking her head. "Come on, Ionia is just a few steps away."

Riven approached Leona as they started to walk again, throwing her arm over Leona's shoulders and pulling her closer, a sly smile on her lips, "Are you ready to celebrate the Ionian way,  _pal?_ Because I sure am!"

Leona groaned, rolling her eyes. "They're going to be  _so_ happy to have Noxian scum crashing their party." She looked at Diana, then, " **Can you tell her to stop? She's annoying."**

"Tell me yourself, you coward!" Riven responded, making Leona whip her head to look at her. "Oh, that's right, I know the Old Rakkor too! Or did you forget that I was the  **Hand of Noxus?** " Riven asked her in a teasing tone. "I had to learn all the warrior tongues,  **yours included.** "

And then Riven laughed at Leona's loud groan at the discovery of the expanse of the Noxian's knowledge.

Diana looked at them with shock and bewilderment in her eyes, "Well, I'm glad you two seem to get along, now."

"That's so far from being the truth."

"Oh, shut up, Sunny Day." Riven responded, playfully shoving Leona. "You love me."

"I love the idea of you, dead, on the ground."

"Sure." Riven said, looking at Diana and mischievously winking at her.

Diana had to look away at that.

* * *

"I'm telling you, a good shield technique can overpower mastery with the sword, anytime."

"No, no, no." Riven quickly said while shaking her head. "A good swordsman can go around a shield technique. Shields are easy to dodge, they're too big and thus easy to see coming-"

"Easy to see coming?" Leona echoed before huffing a laugh, "You haven't meet a good defensive strategy yet, then."

"Oh, really?"

There had been sarcasm on her voice.

"Yes, really."

"And you believe  _your_ technique to be good enough?"

"I actually do."

"Don't make me laugh."

"I'm not really impressed by  _your_ sword technique either, Riven."

Then Diana heard the Noxian gasp. "How dare you-"

"You're actually pretty lousy." And Leona didn't stop at the loud  _What?!_ That Riven let out, instead adding a, "I've actually fought Ra-Horak more talented than you. Even that new Hand of Noxus, Darius, is better."

"Excuse you, Darius used to be my  _Second._  That means I'm  _better_ than him, suited for ruling the Noxian Army. He wasn't."

"And yet he rules it, now."

"Yeah, because I'm  _dead!"_

Leona remained quiet for a hot second, then, "...Still."

And Riven scoffed at her.

Leona chuckled.

"Hey, Riven."

The Noxian looked at Diana, a bit ahead of them. "Yeah?"

"Come here for a second."

The white haired woman jogged to the Empyrean's side, her eyes on Diana's, though the silver haired woman's eyes were somewhere else. "What?"

Diana pointed ahead. "Is  _that_ Ionia?"

Riven looked to where Diana was pointing and sucked in a sharp breath. "Yeah, that's Ionia."

An imposing mountain stood tall in front of them, with its' cliffside stacked with architecture; houses, temples, monasteries, even elevators to easily climb up or down.

Archways were scattered all over the vast expanse of land, guiding people over and through the mountain, the lands.

The nature of the place, untouched and unbothered by the living beings that inhabited such a place, growing and blossoming eternally, constantly, peacefully.

And far, far away from them, on top of the mountain, a palace formed of two arches that pointed upwards, to the sky.

It reminded Riven of something she had seen, it reminded Diana of something she had read of.

Irelia Lito's dancing blades.

The Placidium.

Diana looked down, to the base of the mountain.

A border had been roughly built up, with soldiers posted all throughout its' length, double the number of soldiers posted on the only entry.

_Consequences of the Noxian attack._

"Okay, let's go."

So Diana walked.

She stopped when she only heard one set of footsteps following her.

She turned around only to see Leona trailing behind her.

Riven was standing still, her eyes locked on the Placidium.

Leona turned and looked at Riven, too. "Hey, let's go."

Riven didn't offer any answer.

Diana saw as Leona approached the Noxian.

"Riven."

No answer.

Leona frowned and moved to grab her hand and pull her forwards, "Come on—"

Riven hissed at the contact and pulled away. Why did that hurt so much?

So she looked at her own arm, only to discover that the bandages that usually covered it were gone.

Diana recalled that Riven's forearm had been slashed open during their encounter with the Solari.

So Riven was staring at her own hands, one hidden between lines of dirty white, the other, exposed.

An ugly gashing wound rested on her forearm, dried up blood on top of it, but that wasn't was bothering Riven.

What bothered her was the undeveloped blisters, the charred flesh, the swirls of white and brown on her skin, the scars that marred her and marked her past, that reminded her of—

"Hey," Diana immediately called her, having ran towards her and taking her face between her hands. "It's okay, you're okay." She said with some urgency to her voice. "It's all going to be alright—"

"No," Riven murmured, a faint shake to her voice, echoed by a shake of her head. "No," She said again, taking a step backwards, then another, then another—

She tripped over a root on the ground, but kept backing off, her head shaking no and her hands trembling, her eyes on the marred flesh, her mind aware of the burned skin underneath white cloth.

Diana didn't know what to do.

Riven was about to strip her other hand from its' bandage, when Leona, who had moved towards her in long strides, quickly straddled her and held each hand on her own.

"Stop that." She said, on a stern, authoritative tone.

Riven kept shaking her head, though she didn't battle Leona to release her hands, even as her cries grew louder with the fear gripping her mind, "No, no,  _no—"_

Riven quieted down at the slap Leona gave her.

The whole forest quieted down.

Diana wouldn't take it.

She about to take a step towards them and—

_**Don't.** _

And she stopped.

_**Let's see what she's doing.** _

"Come on, that's enough." Leona said in a tired and at the same time gentle voice. "We're done."

Leona stood up and brought Riven up to her feet and, in a swift motion, she ripped some of the red cloth of her own attire, quickly bandaging her hand until all of the scar was hidden.

"There, white for purity and red for passion. You in the shape of bandages." She said, placing both of Riven's hands together and patting them with her own.

Riven's breathing started to slow down, but she was still uneasy. "But… my hands—"

"Your hands need to train in something new," Leona said, being flooded by an idea. She unstrapped her shield and quickly strapped it to the red hand, "Now you'll train on defense, while I," She took the broken blade from the place where Riven had it sheathed, by her hip. "Learn some offensive. What do you say?"

Riven slowly nodded, her eyes still scanning the shield. "Sounds good."

Leona smiled. "Good," She said, then patted Riven's shoulder. "Now, let's go."

Riven nodded, "Okay." She mumbled, then started walking.

She moved past Diana, who stood and stared after her.

Leona came to a stop by her side. "Are you coming?" She asked, making the Empyrean snap out of it with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, yeah." She said, walking alongside the former Ra-Horak. She wanted to ask, "How…" But she didn't know what exactly. "What…" She sighed, "How did you do whatever you did to her?"

Leona chuckled at Diana's phrasing. "It's not the first time I see something like this. Back in the Ra-Horak camp, I'd see it pretty much everyday," Then Diana noticed how her expression fell, her eyes cast on the ground when she added, "It happens to me from time to time. Mostly with Khait."

Diana looked away, "Yeah, I know the feeling."

And then they walked.

There was something both of them wanted to say, neither of them dared.

But the silence wasn't that unbearable this time.

Then,

"I'm sorry."

They didn't know who had said it first.

They didn't want to see the look on the other's face.

So they didn't.

They just kept walking.

"Hey, Leona."

The warrior looked at the Noxian, who was ahead. "Yes?"

Riven didn't even look over her shoulder. "Thanks for that. I needed it."

"No problem."

"If you slap me again, you're dead meat, though."

Leona sighed, "Okay."

She tried not to laugh at the small nod of Riven's head.

Then Riven stopped, turning around. "I'll need my blade."

Leona frowned as Diana and her came to a stop, too. "Riven—"

"Trust me."

And maybe it was the calmness in those red eyes.

Maybe it was Diana's hand on her lower back, encouraging her to obey.

She didn't know what made her accept, but Leona gave her the broken blade, which Riven took in her free hand.

"Thanks."

Then they walked again.

A memory struck Diana. "Leona."

"Hm?"

"How come you have your Ra-Horak armor if I stole it when I left? I remember Helena took it from your room and gave it to me, then it got destroyed when I…"

"When you were Chosen."

Diana eyed her out of the corner of her eye.

She had a matter-of-fact look on her face.

"This isn't mine. It's yours. The medics who had treated you during Armin's Rite of Kor kept it and I asked for it before leaving for the Temple, that time."

Diana looked at her. "You kept it?"

"I was planning to give it back to you, but that never happened." And Leona's brows raised a bit when she recalled and said, "Then you melted all of the  _Chosen Of The Sun_ equipment, so I was forced to wield it while they forged a new set."

"Did they do it?"

"Yeah, but I never got to use it. It's on the Temple. I was too busy coming to find you."

"Oh."

A beat.

"And you killed the Chosen Of The Sun, so I thought it wouldn't be wise to bring a ghost with me." She offered Diana a smile. "I did my best to come to you as  _just_ Leona."

Another beat.

"I'm surprised I could melt it."

"Why?"

"Because the Chosen One's equipment is indestructible. You can get hurt, yes, but your armor, your shield, your sword… just like my blade and my own armor, it shouldn't have been destroyable. At least, not that easy."

Leona frowned. "Guess it's a sign of something, in a way."

"Maybe."

And in no time, they were at the gates.

"Halt!" One of the guards roared.

And they did.

"Identify yourselves." He added later, his eyes scanning them all.

Leona stepped forwards. "I'm Leona, the Chosen of the Sun of the Rakkor tribe, leader of the Solari and the Ra-Horak."

The man didn't seem impressed. "Many titles for one single person."

"Why would you ask for my identity, then doubt me?" Leona questioned with no venom in her, but only mere curiosity.

"There's no way I could possibly confirm your identity, Leona of the Rakkor. I can tell you're a Ra-Horak by your armor, but your claims of being a Celestial? I must doubt."

"And mine?"

Then the man looked at Diana. A certain surprise shone in his eyes. He recognized the symbol on her forehead, but refused to jump to conclusions. "Who are you?"

"I'm Diana, the Chosen Of The Moon, the last Empyrean in all of Runeterra."

" _Empyrean?"_  He echoed with surprise. "Now that's a term I haven't heard anyone use before."

He lowered his guard and walked towards Diana.

Riven was on edge, but Leona's hand on her shoulder soothed it a bit.

He was of her same height. "That religion died a long time ago, Diana Of The Moon."

Diana smirked. "Not as long as I live."

His face demonstrated the wonder and awe he felt upon being on her presence. "You've arrived just in time."

"So I've been told."

"Is what Leona Of The Rakkor said true? Is she—"

"I can confirm her identity."

The guards started murmuring to one another, their voices not lost to the small group's ears,

_Just as the prophecy foretold!_

_Are the Empyreans back, then?_

_But what about the Solari and the Lunari? They're still against each other!_

"Quiet!" The guard who had been speaking said. "It's disrespectful!" He looked at Diana, "Apologies, Chosen."

She was flattered by the gesture, the title… but also weirded out. How did one react to being treated with such respect? "It's okay." She said, a rather apologetic look to her face.

"We'd just need to know your shieldmaiden's identity and we'll be able to let you into our city."

_Shieldmaiden?_

She looked at Riven.

She contained the snort.

Judging by her raised brow, she didn't like being called a  _shieldmaiden._

Then her eyes landed on Riven's blade, being hidden from their eyes by the shield…

She didn't want anyone knowing who she was.

Not yet.

Not them.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you who she is, for only Irelia Lito herself can confirm her identity." She said, subtly implying that Riven was no one, with no name to give.

The smiling guard frowned. "We can't let her through if we don't know who she…" He trailed off, lost in Diana's intense stare.

"Then take us straight to Captain Lito. She'll be able to tell us who she is."

The man looked between Diana's eyes and Riven's, the clash between the demanding silver and the pleading red short-circuiting his brain.

He closed his eyes.

The three of them, Leona included, held their breaths.

Then, he nodded.

"Follow me, we'll escort you to the Placidium."


	36. Chapter 36

She felt like she was about to suffocate.

As if she had been underwater for too long, Riven felt like she was drowning.

She felt stares, she heard whispers, she saw fingers pointed at her.

She could hear accusations, see people recognizing her face, their unapproving whispers and cries for her death echoing in her ears.

With each step they took throughout the city, towards those slow elevators, she could see, sense, feel, hear, even smell and taste them.

Their disapproving looks, their angry glares and insulting murmurs.

That hand wrapped in red cloth gripped the broken blade tighter, pushing against her body as she sandwiched the weapon between her body and Leona's shield, desperate to hide it, for she feared they'd recognize her Runic Blade, as broken as it was.

The murmurs and whispers started to grow, to overwhelm her, to be too much for her to subtly manage.

She was currently walking alongside Diana, Leona walking closely behind them. She knew the guard that was guiding them was walking ahead and talking about something, though she wasn't sure why.

She tried to distract herself by watching the city.

She tried to be marvelled at how the Ionian houses blended into the scenery by being built around and through nature, instead of over it. Sharing the space instead of replacing their spot on it.

She tried to be amazed at the Lunar Revel celebrations happening all around them; people smiling and happily chatting, coming together for feasts, lighting up the night sky with fireworks, creating impressive, though temporary, works of art in the middle of the air, out of basically nothing, dancing to the folk music in an ethereal synchrony, moving past and around them as if they weren't really there, as if they couldn't really touch them.

She tried to be enticed by the rich smells that reached her nose, all of them being appealing to her, bringing memories of tastes to her mouth and making her salivate, hunger taking over.

She tried, but she failed.

Because everything she tried, brought a terrifying, old, broken memory instead.

She didn't see marvelous architecture, but destroyed one, burnt down to the ground by chemical substances, rotting the ground underneath it.

She didn't hear music nor happy chatter, for she could only hear the sounds of battle; flesh being cut open and screams of pain and terror echoing throughout the vast lands, bouncing against the mountain side.

She didn't smell a scent that would remind her of a tasty meal, because she could only remember the smell of charred flesh and rotten corpses, which brought the sourest of tastes to her mouth.

It made her want to vomit.

And she had made the stupid, stupid mistake of closing her eyes as they walked.

It was a stupid mistake for she should have learned a long time ago that, whenever these memories plagued her, it meant ghosts were out to play.

They were out for her blood. To haunt her into an early grave.

So, when she closed her eyes, she had basically given herself up.

She knew she'd be back in that barren battlefield once she opened them again. That much she knew.

So Riven kept walking with closed eyes and a tremble to her frame that she wasn't aware of.

She was certain she'd die of stress before ever seeing Irelia's face again.

And that was another thing. Irelia. Irelia Lito. The Captain of Ionia's Guard. The unofficial leader to Ionia, for everyone praised her so much that they did whatever she deemed logical, viable, positive for the Ionian lands and people.

Riven knew she wasn't ready to face her. She knew she'd never be ready, though. It was one of those things one has to face, no matter what, no matter how, whether one liked it or not.

So she would. She would face Irelia, whether she liked it or not.

Truth be told, she wanted to. She wanted to see Irelia and…

_...And what? Apologise? Praise her? Lick her boots?_

_Ask her to finish what we had started so long ago?_

_Ask her if she also sees the ghosts?_

She wasn't sure.

Maybe she didn't really want to see her. Maybe she didn't really want to face Irelia. Maybe she wouldn't do it, even if she felt like she had to.

She remembered, so many months ago, what she had told Diana.

_I told her I sought redemption._

It had been the only word she had used to explain her motives, the reason why she'd travel to Ionia, why she'd help the  _Lunari._

But did she actually want redemption? Was it so easy, so simple?

Didn't she want empathy, instead?

Or maybe mercy, for someone to finish her off?

For the only person who deserved the pleasure to finish her off?

She hadn't noticed her breathing getting erratic.

She  _did_  notice Diana's hand press itself gently against her lower back, though.

It made her open her eyes out of instinct.

She was back in Ionia, with Diana by her side.

Her eyes stood still on silver ones for a moment.

_Since when are you my anchor to this World?_

Then Diana offered her a small smirk, the promise of keeping her secrets safe.

It was contagious, Riven had to admit.

And just like that, the ghosts were gone, the night claiming them and putting them to sleep again. Riven couldn't hear them, see them, sense them, smell them, taste them, feel them.

She could hear happiness, she could see wonders, smell good scents and taste rich foods.

She couldn't sense any stares at all, she couldn't feel any judgement against her self.

She could only feel Diana's hand on her back, her tumb going back and forth in a soothing motion.

It had all been a product of her own, tortuous imagination.

And Diana had managed to blank her mind with the touch of a hand.

So Riven snaked her hand, the one wrapped in white, around Diana's waist.

It made the silver haired woman make a sound on her throat, something like a laugh, as she allowed her hand to go further, resting on top of Riven's hipbone, bringing her closer.

Then Riven felt cold lips brush against her ear, "You're with me.  **The Noxian with the interesting** _ **company, remember?**_ " She said with a smile on her face, switching languages so as to avoid being understood by unwanted listeners, recalling that same night Riven had been thinking of before.

Riven nodded. "Right."

And that had been the first word she had said ever since reaching Ionia.

Only Diana's hand on her body allowed her to stay on that reality, anchoring her to the ground and to the fact that she wasn't in that bloody massacre, but in Ionia's rebirth instead.

"This place is beautiful." She was caught off guard by Leona's loud voice, which made her flinch a bit, annoyance at the Ra-Horak making her frown.

She was too sensitive, too on edge, around here. She couldn't be her usual, composed self.

"We believe in balance as the most important force in life." The guard started explaining in a calm voice. "Balance between natural creations and those made by humanity dictates our construction, our buildup into a society. We refuse to destroy what's been created before us, so we blend our own creations into it, flowing with the natural course, thus reaching balance, equity."

"Harmony over dissonance." Diana mused out loud, "Sounds good to me."

"There are some extremists, of course." The guard said, a certain weight to his words. "People who'll go very far to reach balance, disrespecting other lives, other cultures, other ways of viewing existence. We do not approve, but just as we do with anything else that doesn't involve us, we stay away, neutral. Wouldn't want to disrupt our way of living because of a conflict that didn't belong to us."

"You avoid conflict at all costs."

Riven felt her right eyelid start to twitch uncomfortably.

The man looked at Leona over his shoulder, "We don't—"

"No, you  _do."_  Leona cut him off. "You refuse to get involved, you see innocents bleeding and suffering and refuse to bring the predatory criminals into justice, even if you have the tools and skills necessary to do so."

" _Leona."_ Diana warned.

And it would be the only warning.

Riven felt a knot in her throat.

"Neutrality is not the best answer to all problems. It's actually never the answer." She said, growing heated, "Justice is not born of neutrality, never. Your people should do what is right—"

" _Cut it out!"_

They stopped moving, they stopped talking.

They all stared at Riven, her face red, her teeth on display as she basically growled at Leona.

"Ionia seeks  _balance,_ not  _justice._  For balance to exist, the good must be accompanied with the bad. There must be a bit of justice and a bit of injustice. Such is the Ionian way, such is the equilibrium of life. The good, the bad. The dirty, the clean. The pure, the corrupt. A crime is committed and a crime is punished, but if the crime is outside the land of balance, then it's not punished, for it would mean more punishments than crimes have been delivered. Cut it out."

Riven then turned and looked at the guard. "Let's keep moving." And, silently, he obeyed and they continued walking.

Diana stared at Riven, concern on her features. She had sounded so small, such a contrast to the outburst from right before it...

...Yet, then again, she had spoken softly, doing her best to hide her accent.

She knew Riven was terrified they might have heard it, anyway.

_That's why she's so quiet._

"You know a lot about the Ionian way, shieldmaiden." The guard mused out loud. "Are you by any chance from these lands?" He asked her.

And Riven knew it was a trick question. Sure, her accent had been veiled, but she didn't have the soft, Ionian tone. She didn't manage to mask her feelings like they did. Like she would do.

He was trying to interrogate her.

He knew the answer should be  _No,_ because she didn't sound Ionian. If she were to say  _Yes,_ then maybe something else entirely would happen. Maybe they'd try to put Diana against her, telling her that her  _shieldmaiden_ was a liar and she'd be better off without her. It would bring problems, conflict, it would draw them away from their main objective and mission. Then, if she were to say  _No,_ then he'd be conscious of Riven's knowledge of her own persona. He'd start asking more and more questions.

So Riven opted for a better solution. "I don't know where I'm from."

The guard seemed lost. "You don't know?"

Riven shook her head. "No. All I know is that I woke up in the middle of some forest, no memory of myself in my head."

"I still remember the night I found you." Diana added to her lie, a worried look on her face.

"And that's why you need Irelia to confirm her identity?" The guard asked, looking at them over his shoulder, seeing the both of them nod. "But why Irelia, of all people?"

Riven didn't know what to say-

"Because Irelia must have been the last person to see my shieldmaiden before me. They must know each other from before."

"How could you possibly know that, Chosen One?"

Diana chuckled. "I don't think you'd understand, for the matters of the spirit are beyond mortal comprehension."

The man was uncomfortable. Even Riven was. "Try me."

"I can sense magical connections and, being the Chosen Of The Moon, I'm aware of everything that happens during my Mistress' time, what everyone does, thinks, prays, says…  _dreams_. My shieldmaiden is connected to Irelia, somehow. It's the only way I can find to explain why she dreams of the Captain and why the Captain dreams of her, too."

Riven's head moved so fast Diana swore the woman would get whiplash. She didn't say anything, just staring at the Empyrean with wide eyes.

Diana smiled.

"That's…"

"None of our concern." Diana finished for the guard. "Whatever is going on there, it should be handled between Irelia and my protegee."

And they all fell quiet, then, respecting her decision.

Diana decided she liked power, the ability to influence others with just her words.

Riven and Leona couldn't believe the fact that she had sounded believable. Hell, even they were tempted to believe in her words.

_Weren't you a very, very bad liar? What happened?_

And the fact that she had called Riven her  _protegee…_

She was making a statement; whoever touched Riven would have to fight her, too.

And Diana could be deadly.

So they kept moving, finally reaching one of those slow elevators to the top.

All of them walked into one of the big platforms and, when the guard closed the small fence-like door behind them, the elevator started moving upwards.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

"How do these work?" Diana finally asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Manpower. At the top of the mountain, a small energy station has been built up. Those who work there give energy to the elevators, eight hours a day. Then, they switch."

"So there's three different shifts?"

"Exactly, Chosen."

Diana's brows rose. "That's… good, very good." She responded, because it was uncommon for her, the concept of having spare time during your day. Back in the Solari Temple, she had to be at the Elders' disposal all day, every day. You couldn't have a time you could call your own, not completely.

She looked at Leona and knew the warrior was thinking the same thing, for her eyes were locked on something afar, unfocused, her eyebrows basically on her hairline.

_I'm guessing it's balance between duties and leisure?_

_**It is.** _

_It pleases me._

_**It pleases me too.** _

Then Riven was approaching the side of the elevator, her free hand on the railing, her eyes on the view.

It made Diana look at her, due to fear of what the troubled Noxian might do to herself, but then it made her look out into the horizon.

The view was breathtaking.

The crack of dawn was upon them, the sky being painted with different hues of red, orange and yellow as the sunlight rays were dispersed throughout the lands, making Ionia look like it was on fire, a magical kind of fire, one which fueled their spirits, their souls.

No aggression, no violence whatsoever. Only beauty, expanding over the flowing architectonic masterpieces, the temples on the cliffside that they moved past of, the gentle culture that had brought it all up.

The silence that took over them was powerful enough that not even the guard, already used to such views, not at all impressed, could break it.

So, in silence, they reached the top.

They got out of the elevator and their eyes immediately landed on the Placidium.

It was a big, imposing palace placed on the highest area of the mountain, with a long walk decorated with archways leading to its' gate.

No guards outside, except for those who had escorted them.

Riven gulped at the sight.

She had never been to the Placidium. That was very much true.

But she had seen its' form in Irelia's dancing blades.

She felt Diana's hand apply pressure to her body, making her realize that the Empyrean had never let go of her.

She looked at Diana, only to find Diana looking back, smiling at her.

"This way." The guard said, and they all moved.

And with each step, Riven's anxiety skyrocketed, her heart going faster, her breathing becoming shallower.

But with every step, Diana's hand grasped her tighter and tighter, shooing away her fears, calming down her beating heart, evening her breathing.

It was a deathmatch between Diana and her personal ghosts.

She couldn't believe Diana was managing to fend them off, if she was honest. She had never succeeded at that, even with the years of training, the years of fighting against them herself.

Then they reached the Placidium's doors.

The guard walked up to them and knocked. After a moment of silence, the doors were opened by two guards with long, deadly looking spears.

Clearly, they were a much higher rank.

"Yes?" One of them asked in a stern voice.

The guard who had been escorting them bowed. "I've come here escorting the Chosen Of The Moon, for she had requested an audience with Captain Lito." The guards at the door, at his words, looked at Diana. Then at Leona.

Then at Riven.

"And who are the other two?" He asked.

"Leona, The Chosen Of The Sun, and Diana's shieldmaiden, whose identity has been forgotten by its' owner. Diana Of The Moon claims only our Captain can recognize her. She has seen it on the stars."

"Is that the motive for the audience?"

"Yes, sir."

The high-rank guard looked at Diana, then at Riven, then at the guard who had escorted them once more. He was making his decision whether to let these people in or not.

Finally, he gave his answer. "Very well. You may leave, soldier. We will take it from here."

The guard bowed again, then quietly made his way back to his post.

"If you may, My Chosen, follow me." The guard said, talking directly to Diana.

It irked Leona.

Nevertheless, all of them walked behind him as he guided them through the palace.

The ceiling was high, making the elegant rooms echoey, something that diana subtly tried by talking a bit louder to the guard as she asked, "What's the Placidium for?"

"Before the Noxian attack, the Placidium held Ionia's monarchy. The King, the Queen and their family." He said, the matter-of-fact voice he had used helping Riven avoid thinking too much about past conflicts. "Nowadays, it's the home for Irelia Lito and her brother, the last two remaining people of the Lito dynasty. Here, they discuss political, cultural, economical movements to be held along with the most important families in Ionia, but only they inhabit it, along with the family's servers and us, the guards who serve duty here, too."

_That would explain why these rooms are so… quiet, with no people in them._

_It would also explain why they look so formal, too._

They kept walking throughout the palace, slowly leaving behind the sterile elegance of blue hues present in the main rooms, to finally reach the warm, wooden tones of the living rooms.

Riven felt anxious at the thought of Irelia Lito, the knowledge that she was in her home now, the cozy settees and the armories on display being evidence enough.

There was a room with a closed door and the guard was about to knock-

Diana's hand on his stopped him, immediately. "I'd like to have a moment with her alone, first."

The guard didn't really know how to proceed. To his eyes, Diana was a higher entity, more than any kind of royalty.

Basically, a Goddess.

...But Irelia was Irelia. His people's Irelia.

"I can't let you in without warning her, first."

Diana looked at Leona and Riven, trying to come up with an idea, for she couldn't have Irelia seeing Riven in front of other people; she was certain Irelia would recognize her immediately and that would cause trouble.  
"Then introduce only me, escort my friends back to another room in the palace. I'd like to have a word with Irelia,  _alone."_

The guard nodded. "That much I can do, My Chosen."

So he knocked.

The voice that answered had Riven's breath hitching in her throat.

" _Yes?"_ Came a strong, yet at the same time smooth, female voice.

"My Captain, there's someone here who'd like an audience with you."

There was a beat of silence. Then, " _Let them come in."_

The guard then nodded at Diana and ushered Riven and Leona outside, the former battling him a little bit, kind of scared of leaving Diana's side.

Diana smiled at her,  _I'll be fine,_ she mouthed.

And when they were out of sight, Diana opened the door.

A woman was standing there, in the middle of the room that appeared to be her office. A desk sat in the middle of the room, chairs on each side of it, the Ionian Captain occupying the one on the other side, facing the door. Bookshelves took over the walls, except for the one behind Irelia, for it was taken over a big window that looked out at all of Ionia, and papers filled up the desk's surface, delicate yet strong hands flipping them over, cold, calculating eyes inspecting them.

Then Irelia looked up at Diana as the Empyrean closed the door behind her.

Immediately, she dropped what she was doing and stood up from her seat.

As she slowly made her way towards Diana, the Chosen Of The Moon took her in.

Her hair was long and dark, though it didn't reach black; it was blueish, just like her eyes. She was wearing a deep red and blue kind of suit that hugged her frame and, as she came to stand right in front of her, Diana noticed they were of the same height, just like Riven with Leona.

She saw the Captain's calm eyes go all over her, "Silver eyes, silver hair." Irelia said with her strong voice, "But I don't see the curved blade."

Diana put her hands between them, her palms up and slowly her khopesh reappeared, the Empyrean offering it to the Ionian for further inspection, Irelia gently running her fingers over it. "I didn't think your guards would have been okay with me sporting weapons, so I vanished it."

Irelia chuckled. "They wouldn't have let you in if they had seen this." Then, her fingers ran over the Old Rakkor on the blade, " _May life become death after meeting my steel."_ She read out loud, then raised a brow. "Kind of sadistic, isn't it?"

"The blade was gifted to me by the former Commander of the Ra-Horak, so I believe the choice of words is kind of fitting, actually. It was later on blessed by the Moon, becoming the Crescent Blade." She answered, watching as Irelia nodded. "Didn't imagine you'd know how to read the Old Rakkor."

"I've been learning on my free time, trying to become a better, cleverer warrior." Irelia confessed, watching Diana as her weapon vanished once more. "I'm still learning, though." Then her eyes, as they moved over Diana's face, landed on the Lunari symbol on her forehead, making a frown adorn her features. "Now, that's something unexpected. The symbol of the Moon?"

"My former masters branded me with it after accusing me of heresy. Nowadays it's just a reminder of what foolish people with power can do." Diana answered.

"I see." It made Irelia smirk. "I'd believe you're angry at them."

Diana's head lolled to a side as she shrugged. "I have no resentment towards those who aren't worth it. My mission in life is greater than holding grudges."

It surprised the Captain Of The Guard. "That's admirable of you. I know I'd be pissed." She said, then turned and walked back to her seat, offering Diana the chair that was right in front, on the other side of the desk, near her.

But as Diana gently refused to seat, Irelia felt the need to mimic, by standing nearby her own chair, propping herself up with her hands on the backrest. "I'm surprised you let me in without asking for my identity first."

Irelia's smirk remained. "If you made it to the Placidium being escorted by my guards and announced in such a fashion, I know you pose no threat. That's why you were allowed." Then she felt Irelia's stare all over her once more, "I can't believe it's actually true; all of the prophecies announcing your return."

Diana raised a brow. "My return?"

"Well, not exactly  _your_ return…"

"Diana."

Irelia nodded. "Diana. It's a pleasure to meet you. The prophecies don't exactly announced  _your_ return, but the Chosen Of The Moon's. It's been centuries since the last time Runeterra saw one of you."

Diana smirked. "Did your prophecies only speak of me?" She asked in a teasing tone.

Irelia chuckled. "Oh, no. They also talked about your counterpart. Just like the Sun and the Moon chase each other on the sky, we knew you couldn't come back without the Chosen Of The Sun doing so, too. We only give you more importance because we follow the Moon instead of the Sun." Then she realized she had never introduced herself, blushing a bit as she added, "I'm Irelia, Captain of the Ionian guard."

Diana chuckled. "I know who you are, Irelia."

The blue haired woman sighed, "How noticeable is it, the fact that I'm bad at this whole  _ruling a country_ thing?"

Diana shook her head. "It's not noticeable at all."

Then Diana's eyes locked on Irelia's face.

On Irelia's  _young_ face.

As young as Riven.

And already at the forefront of a country.

"It's too much responsibility, don't you think?" She mused out loud, watching as Irelia's eyes locked on hers. "For someone so young, I mean." She added then, wishing to avoid misconceptions.

Irelia frowned as she made it to the side of the desk, her back to it, her hands on its' surface, keeping her up. "I hope you don't find offense in my words, My Chosen, but you don't look so old yourself." She said, then looked away, as if deep in thought. "Diana of the Rakkor, I assume you once were, nowadays the Chosen Of The Moon, with a scar on her forehead and the shine of youth in her eyes." She looked at Diana again, "Don't you think you're too young for the role you're to play in this life, too?"

Diana was surprised at how bold she was with her words, never being anything but polite, though. She decided she liked Irelia, in a different way to how she liked Riven, so she smirked when she said, "Do not let my age confuse you. I may be as young as you, but my Mistress grants me her knowledge from time to time, teaching me more about the past, helping me decide the future."

Irelia smiled. "Your talk demonstrates your wisdom. I don't doubt your fit for your job." Then Irelia looked away, folding her arms in front of her. "And I'll admit that I was not cut for mine. I was fine being a dancer. I was fine being a soldier. I don't really know how fine I am with ruling Ionia." She frowned, then. "It's too much power, too much responsibility."

Diana approached her, placing her hand on Irelia's shoulder. "I say you should take it one day at a time. No one is born knowing everything. We learn from mistakes and experiences, despite what any scholar might tell you, about how you learn from textbooks and studying, instead."

Irelia huffed a small laugh. "Sounds like you know about them."

"I used to be one of them, so I'm talking from experience."

Irelia turned to fully face Diana. "Diana Of The Moon, your life story is one to be told and one I'd be willing to listen."

Diana laughed. "It's a very long tale, but I'd be glad to share, one day."

Irelia slowly nodded as she smiled at Diana. "You know, Ionia is in deep change, now." She suddenly confessed, walking to the window and looking out at her city through it. "People who want to stay the same, people who want to protect balance, people who seek peace and then people like me, who wish to fight back the tyranny that struck us down." She turned to look at Diana. "It's hard to rule over such a contradictory place, it's hard to please everyone, to keep them all happy."

"If there's something I've learned in my past is that you can't keep everyone happy."

"That's right," Irelia agreed. "It's impossible to do as much and we shouldn't fear change."

"I'm surprised you'd want to fight back, though." Diana mused, very aware of the Ionian's words.

As if looking for her words, the Captain looked around the office for a moment, before speaking again, "The Irelia of the past would have agreed with you." She finally said. "The Irelia of the past, the one that relied on her brother and her father, would have sought balance and peace." Then her eyes grew colder, "But that Irelia is dead. She's not the one standing in front of you, today. The one you're seeing is one that has lived through battles." She locked eyes with Diana. "I have witnessed the darkest monstrosities Noxus is capable of in order to invade and conquer. I refuse to stand idle while they go around, thinking they can torture whoever's in their way."

She turned and looked out the window again. Ionia had recovered itself, but her keen eyes could see through the veil; she could see the damage that was hidden behind bandages. "They damaged these lands, traumatised the people, divided us into different points of view, created conflict. As balance demands, they must be damaged in return."

Then Irelia sighed, "But you didn't come this long way just to hear me rant. I sense you had your reasons." She turned to look at Diana again, "How may I be of your service, My Chosen?"

Diana smiled at her, finding it funny how one's words would always anticipate the other's. "You spoke with truth, Irelia. I have my own motives to have come this far but, if only to keep being honest with you, I must confess I have not traveled Runeterra alone." She saw Irelia was about to speak and quickly anticipated it, "The Chosen Of The Sun has come with me, too, for there's a hatchet we have to bury, together, for there are mistakes made on both of our sides, but she didn't travel alongside me, joining our journey later on. There's a third woman who came with us, the one I wish to talk to you about."

"And who would she be?"

"I met her a long time ago, in the middle of the woods. She was the one who suggested my destiny awaited me here. She knows her destiny's here, too, and it involves you." Diana said, watching as Irelia frowned. Before she spoke, she finally added, "I do not believe it's my place to reveal her identity. You should be able to recognize her when you see her."

Irelia was confused to no end. "But why is her destiny linked to me? What is it that you're asking me to do, Chosen One?"

Then Diana was walking towards her and, with her gentle manners, holding both of the Captain's hands with her own. "I need you to come with me, in peace, and meet my friend. I think it would tie loose ends on both sides of the story."

Irelia seemed to be doubtful of Diana's wish. She was pondering it inside her head.

Diana remained quiet, her eyes doing the insisting.

After a silent moment, she finally agreed. "Fine."

Diana was beaming with joy. "She should be in the main hall of the Placidium, waiting for us."

"Lead the way, Chosen." Irelia said then, closely following Diana throughout the same path she had walked to her office in the first place.

Hall after hall, room after room they walked, noticing the somewhat uncanny lack of soldiers in the rooms nearby the one they had to reach. Still, neither of them commented on it.

Then they finally reached the Main Hall.

Both of them first looked at Leona, who turned around to look at them at the sound of the doors opening.

"Diana, I'm guessing she's Irelia, isn't she?" Leona quickly asked, approaching them as she did so.

Irelia bowed. "It's an honor to meet you, Chosen Of The Sun."

Leona mimicked her and bowed, too. "The honor's mine, Captain." She smiled at her. "You're a legend across Runeterra, already."

Irelia huffed a laugh. "Seems no one can learn how to mind their own business in this World."

Leona chuckled at that. "Our Demacian friends would know about that." And she had to fight her laughter as she saw Irelia groan and roll her eyes.

"Please, do not mention them in my presence. They tire me to no end."

"Oh, believe me, they tire me too."

Then Irelia's eyes landed on a figure who was standing a few steps back, her back to them. In silence, she looked at Diana with a question in her eyes, to which the Empyrean answered with a small nod of her head.

Slowly, Irelia walked towards the woman, leaving Leona and Diana behind.

Diana brought her mouth closer to Leona's ear. "Where are the guards?"

"I used my status as Chosen, thank you for confirming it to them, to persuade them that we'd be better off alone." She looked at Diana with a certain strong emotion in her eyes. "Wouldn't want this meeting to go bad in front of a big crowd." She finally said.

Then Diana realized Leona was as anxious as she was.

They could only watch, now.

"I believe you're the Chosen Of The Moon's friend." Irelia said as she walked towards the white haired woman, the Captain somewhat wary, though it didn't show on her demeanor. She came to a stop a foot away from her. "I'm Irelia Lito."

Then Irelia stared as, slowly, the taller woman turned around.

The calm that was on her face was gone, replaced by a frown as she scanned the familiar face.

Riven stared with a quivering bottom lip, desperation in her red eyes. "Irelia."

The blue haired woman was taken aback. "Who…?" Then she shook her head no, looking back at Diana. "Who is she?" She asked her, then looked back at Riven, "Who are you?"

Then Riven, silently, unstrapped Leona's shield, letting it fall to the floor with a loud  _clang._

And she brought up her broken blade, showing it to Irelia.

"You know exactly who I am."

And as quiet as a whisper, as realization hit her, Irelia murmured, "Riven."

And before anyone could do anything, the Blade Dancer called upon her deadly blades, making them dart towards the Noxian.


	37. Chapter 37

She watched it all happen in steps, as if time decided to slow down enough for her to appreciate the scene with a keen, detail-oriented eye.

She had stared into those blue eyes as the woman in front of her failed to acknowledge her, subconsciously denying who she was and refusing to confirm her identity, not really doing it in purpose, for she was supposed to be  _dead._ It must have felt like seeing a ghost, one which finally managed to escape the confinements of the mind and sneaked into the real world, she assumed. It must have been scary enough.

So she had noticed when Irelia's eyes widened millimetrically at the sight of her blade. She had recognized it. There was no more denying who she was.

There was no more denying that Riven was alive and standing right in front of her, in the middle of the Placidium.

In a way, the version of the tale that everybody seemed to know had finally become true; the Hand of Noxus stood in the Placidium, facing the Captain of the Ionian Guard.

Riven had enough time to find it funny, how the world works, how what had been lies and rumours was suddenly true, only in a different light, for she wasn't out for blood.

It seemed that the Ionian Captain was, though.

So Riven stared in silent, deadly awe as Irelia moved, her blades appearing seemingly out of nowhere, hidden all over the Placidium, her dancing, levitating weaponry.

She watched as Irelia's hands pointed towards her, her blades coming at her at what must have been breakneck speed.

She saw it all in a long, slow motion, though.

Her eyes found their aim in blue ones, those which shone with a crumbled confidence and an ever-growing panic.

Then, Riven closed her eyes and remained still.

* * *

Diana hadn't had time to react, being no match to the speed to which Irelia's blades moved. With no more magic left in her, rest being long overdue, Diana was powerless to help the situation, her senses not being as keen, the Empyrean failing to predict and counteract Irelia's doing.

She had realized what was going on when it was already too late, those deadly projectile-like objects moving towards Riven in what appeared to be the Noxian's sudden, unexpected, dying breath.

She flinched, shutting her eyes close out of instinct.

The silence was deafening her.

It made her frown.

_Silence._

_Silence?_

Slowly, Diana opened her eyes and the scene displayed in front of her stunned her.

Irelia's blades, surrounding Riven, trapping her in a deadly coffin. Were the Noxian to move, she'd be dead in an instant, the tip of each blade pressing against vital points in her body, forcing her into a complete paralysis, making even breathing hard.

Riven seemed not to care about being in such a position, though.

Diana noticed then how the white haired woman had closed her eyes.

_She had given herself up._

Closing one's eyes in front of a warrior like Irelia meant surrendering, that much Diana knew; no one should close their eyes and remain like that in front of someone who could kill you in the blink of an eye.

Then Riven frowned. Then she opened them slowly, confused. Then, she studied the blades around her without moving much, but with no fear in her.

"You had said you brought a  _friend,"_ Irelia growled, not even looking back at Diana. "And  _this_ is what I encounter?" She huffed, "You need to make better connections, Chosen."

She didn't know what to do, but she knew she had to act quickly. "Irelia," Diana started on a slightly shaky voice. "Please, let her go."

"I trusted your word, Diana." Irelia said, hurt being evident on her voice. "I trusted you and this is how you've paid me. Next time, I won't forget the Chosens are just  _humans_ , as flawed as anyone else is, only with big titles for them to throw around."

"If you think I would walk into your city with the desire to wreak havoc in it, you're misjudging me completely, Ionian."

"No, but you  _did_ help a Noxian walk into my city, my  _house_ , meet me in person and, of all Noxians,  _her."_

"Irelia—"

"She's right."

Everyone, the Ionian Captain included, turned to look at Riven.

Her eyes were open, locked on blue ones. No tremble to her body, an eerie calmness to her demeanor, surprising for someone in a situation as hers. "You're right, Lito. You're right to be mad."

Diana gritted her teeth, feeling as if Riven were pushing Irelia, instead of calming her down. "You're not helping the case—"

"But this is  _my_ case and, just like you had your right to do as you saw fit with yours," And she cast a quick glance at Leona at that, "I have the right to handle mine as I want to."

"She's right," Leona quietly commented, her hand on Diana's shoulder, a serious look on her face. "Let her do this her way."

So Diana, against her better judgement, stood back.

Riven smirked at her, then her neutral stare was back as she looked at Irelia. "You're right to be mad, but you should be mad at  _me._ " She said, "I convinced the Chosen Of The Moon that the answers she's looking for hide in your city. I promised to escort her here, not because of good will but because bringing her to Ionia and aiding the prophecy would give me a card to play, a leverage to get an audience with you."

Irelia, as still as Riven in her fighting stance, her dance halted so as to keep her blades in a perfect position, bared her teeth at the Noxian, her fingers curling ever so slightly, the blade at Riven's throat barely moving, cutting a bit and making a drop of blood come out if the small wound.

Riven didn't even flinch.

"Why would I ever give you the privilege of talking to me privately? Your allegiance lies with Noxus." Irelia barked out at her.

And Riven's eyes became alit. "No, not with Noxus." She said vividly, "I renounced them the night they betrayed my trust,  _this broken_ piece of  _junk_ ," She threw the blade towards Irelia's feet, her blades digging into her skin in several points as she did so, "Being evidence of that."

Irelia's eyes went from the Noxian's to the blade at her feet, then back at Riven, at every point on her body where blood was now coming out of. She had been reckless; if her moving had made the Ionian flinch, she'd be dead by now.

Irelia quickly understood Riven didn't care about dying.

Maybe she was here for that.

So, careful enough to avoid moving her blades, Irelia lowered to the ground and picked up Riven's broken sword, giving it a quick inspection.

"I broke my blade, the gift with which I was declared the Hand, the morning after I woke up from the hellish nightmare of a battle that we had." Her eyes narrowed. "I owe nothing to Noxus. I'm not loyal to them anymore."

"Then who are you loyal to?" Irelia asked, then raised her eyes from the Noxian craft in her hands. "Who do you work for now, Riven?"

"I'd say no one, but truth be told, I owe Diana my life." Red eyes met silver. "So I serve her." She said, with a nod of her head. "My loyalty is found with the Lunari." And she glared at Leona at that.

The Ra-Horak nodded almost imperceptibly.

_Fair._

Irelia remained still and time seemed to have frozen for them.

She was making a decision regarding Riven.

She was judging her.

After just a few seconds that had felt like hours to Diana, Irelia reached a conclusion.

Her blades moved so fast that their movement would be lost to a blink.

Leona's body tensed up, Diana could tell due to her proximity to her counterpart, as Irelia's blades traveled through the air.

Back to their owner and master.

Away from Riven.

Standing straight, Irelia raised her chin slightly, looking down at the Noxian. "Due to respect for your master and the religion she represents, since we share the same core beliefs, I'll spare you this time, Riven."

Riven's eyes moved until they were locked on blue ones—

A blade appeared right in between her eyes.

Had Irelia moved closer?

"Do not forget I said  _this time,_ Noxian. You dare cross me  _once_ and that will be the last thing you dare do in your life." Irelia growled out, her pupils hot on Riven's.

Riven stared back, that ominous calmness still with her. "One time is all I need for now, Irelia."

The Ionian raised a brow. " _For now?"_

Riven's mouth twitched at the corner. "Yes."

And Irelia immediately knew Riven wouldn't tell her more, no matter what. Nevermind the fact that she had a blade to her forehead.

She decided she could respect that.

"Very well," She said, her steel flanking her and leaving the Noxian alone, "Now, if you would please leave me alone." She turned, making a few steps towards her office before adding, "All of you."

Diana frowned. That was not the plan. "Irelia—"

"This little stunt you pulled," Irelia interrupted her with a much authoritative voice, stronger than Diana's and stronger than anything the silver haired woman had heard come out of her mouth before. "Could be seen as treason, Diana." She finished, with a disappointed, stern look in her eye. "You should be thanking whichever Gods you want to praise that I've found mercy in my soul.  _Her_ people," She cast a quick glance at Riven, "Know I don't have much of that left. So don't push your luck, now."

"Come on," Diana heard Leona suddenly say, as the Ra-Horak grabbed her by the arm, "Let's go outside." She added, slowly pulling Diana as she walked towards Riven, prompting her to walk, too.

So, without looking back, Irelia disappeared into the halls of the Placidium.

And, looking back at her, Riven abandoned the palace, pulled by the Chosen of the Sun, accompanied by the Chosen of the Moon.

It was as if Diana had been in a trance right until they made it through the doors, their feet landing on the ground right outside the big structure, for it was only then that she snapped out of it, shaking Leona off of her and looking at her with an angry glare. "Hey!"

Leona looked at her, confusion etched on her features. "What?"

Diana looked back at the Placidium, then scoffed as she quickly shook her head in a double take, then looked back at Leona, her arms stretched in the palace's direction, pointing at it. "That fucking fiasco! We were supposed to help Riv-" She cut herself off as she remembered the guards posted at the entrance, "We were supposed to talk to her!"

"And we talked enough, already!" Leona answered with the same power, but not the same anger. She took a deep breath, "We did all we could with Lito just now. We have to let the matter rest for a while-"

" _No!"_ Diana cut her off, getting heated up. "That was not enough-"

" _Diana."_

It hadn't been Leona.

Diana looked at Riven, her eyes hot on hers.

"It  _was_ enough."

Then Diana felt two hands holding her by her arms, making her look back right in front of her and seeing Leona closer.

"I've trusted you this far, you have to trust me this one time, Di."

Diana seemed to be struggling, containing her own tongue, fighting against her desire to say something else, to prove them wrong, to go back in the palace and make Irelia sit down with Riven and have a civilized talk, but-

She looked into Riven's eyes, a plea hiding somewhere in there.

Diana sighed. "You're right."

Leona smiled at her. "Thank you," She said, in a low, hushed voice.

So the three of them slowly made their way back to the city core, the Lunar Revel celebrations slowly growing as they made their way into the heart of Ionia.

And, as they moved, they felt staring eyes on them.

Riven tried to ignore them.

Diana tried to make sense out of them.

Leona was simply her loud self.

"What's the matter with everyone's eyes being on us?"

Then Diana finally realised what was going on. "They're not on us."

They heard their whispers.

_A monster…_

_She dared talk to Captain Irelia…_

_She's not welcome…_

_Shouldn't she be dead?_

"They're on Riven." Diana sentenced, the name loud and filled with her pride. "They know who she is."

Leona was surprised about this information, but it was confirmed by the dirty looks and the stepping away as they made their way. "I didn't think Irelia would send word of her presence in Ionia so quickly."

"I knew she would." Riven said, not bothering to hide her accent, shame evident on her face. "With her, no mercy comes without a price. I don't know about her price for you, Diana. She might have done her first selfless act with you."

Diana gulped. "I hope she did."

They kept walking, doing their best to ignore the unwanted attention.

"Don't you mind the celebrations?" Riven suddenly asked Leona, curiosity taking the best of her, if only to help her escape the reality they were in, her demons slowly trying to claim her mind back. "You know, not being a fan of the Moon and all."

Leona shrugged, eager to answer, if only to keep the Noxian distracted, "I don't know. I feel like it should bother me, but I've been around you two enough time not to care that much. Besides, if I ignore the fact that this is all for the Moon, then the celebrations are kind of fun."

Riven nodded, "Sounds fair to me." She said, then she had a mischievous idea, "What do  _you_  think about that, Diana?" She asked her friend.

But Diana wasn't really paying her much attention.

She was paying attention to how everyone seemed to be staring, opening up the path as they walked, but all in a slightly different fashion as before.

"Are they seriously that annoyed by your presence?" Diana murmured, getting angry once more, the desire to protect Riven from unjust judgements overpowering even her desire to find those who hide in Ionia, making her consider fighting them all, no matter the cost, even if it meant being kicked out of the city.

But after a moment of analyzing, Riven finally answered, "They're not looking at me anymore, Di."

And Leona softly added, "They're looking at  _you."_

So Diana payed more attention, staring back at everyone, finding it hard to make eye contact.

Because they weren't looking into her eyes.

They were looking at her scar.

And, slowly, those who celebrated the Lunar Revel stopped opening the path for them, getting closer and closer.

An old lady approached her, her fingers stretching to reach that bright scar.

Instinctively, Diana tried to raise her arms and stop her, but a ghost touch halted her movements.

" _ **Let her,"**_ She heard Skadi whisper into her ear, a desperate plea from her own Goddess.

So she stared, felt Skadi stare, too, as the woman slowly reached her scar.

The Ionian lady flinched at the touch, not because of being hurt by it, but because of the reality of it all.

She looked into Diana's eyes, her own as big as possible as she asked, "Chosen?"

Diana didn't know what to say, what to do, as her mouth hanged slightly open.

A new set of whispers grew around them.

 _Is she really the Chosen of the Moon?,_ Some man asked from somewhere in the crowd.

 _It can't really be possible, can it?,_ A woman commented, awe evident on her tone.

And then, a man said something that spurred the crowd back to life.

_Our Chosen is back! Our Chosen is back!_

And just like that, everyone was beaming with happiness, tears on the eyes of some, smiles on the faces of others.

Confusion on Diana's face.

"My Chosen," The lady right in front of her said, a hopeless devotion shining through her eyes. "It really is you. You have returned."

And so she kneeled on the ground, her forehead touching the ground.

Immediately, as if they were a wave, everyone on the crowd did the same.

Only Diana, Leona and Riven remained on their feet.

Then, the Noxian patted Diana on the back, a smile on her face, despite the uncomfortable situation she had just been in, letting out a phrase the Empyrean never really thought she'd hear again.

"Welcome home, Diana."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me again! It's been brought to my attention that I was making awful mistakes when conjugating a certain verb. U learn something every day lmfao. Thanks for the heads up!
> 
> Anyway, without further ado… The Chapter.
> 
> (also, I'm gonna plan this whole ass ending bc it's APPROACHING so if the fic gets slow, apologies, but i'm tryna be the best eclipse author out there lmfao ily'all)


	38. Chapter 38

_ Welcome home, Diana. _

Home.

In all of her years and despite her intellectual background as a High Acolyte, as one of the best Scholars, Diana had never really known the meaning of such a word.

At first, she thought Home was someplace already built, where you’d be invited to and you’d have to mold yourself to it and its’ rules, slowly adjusting, slowly adapting, like the one she had with Marcus, who invited her into his Home the day he rescued her from that blizzard.

Then, she found a second definition and thought Home was a place one would have to create from nothing, with the help of those who want to build it too, no matter the context nor circumstances, no matter those who oppose, the people around, leaving behind differences if only to blend more easily with those who you call Home, like she did with Helena and Sekhet, always subtly hiding her unholy affiliations, despite everyone knowing about them, if only to make it easier for everyone else.

And, in both cases, she had found true happiness.

It didn’t come close to what she felt now, though.

She was standing there, surrounded by people who knew nothing about her and yet they accepted her for who she was, for what she believed, for what she stood for. They knew nothing about her and yet they immediately welcomed her with open arms, looking eager to know her, to learn from her, to cherish her victories and suffer her losses, cry her sorrows away, beam at her happiness, always alongside her.

Immediately belonging somewhere, without needing to hide nor change, her differences being actually appreciated, not because of ignorant admiration but out of unconditional love and acceptance. That was the third definition of Home she knew, the one she was being taught at that same moment.

The feeling of actually belonging that she felt this time had no equal whatsoever.

A satisfaction, a feeling of fulfillment that came with it.

She felt complete.

For the first time ever since she was born, she finally felt like she was where she had to be, like all the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place and there were none missing, unlike what she had originally thought.

_ Home.  _ For the first time in forever, she finally felt at home.

Tears were welling up. She couldn’t even see through them.

_ Home. _

She heard a faint chuckle to her side, a greedy hand snaking around her waist and pulling her slightly closer.

She didn’t know why she had expected Leona, but felt warmth nonetheless as she heard Riven’s voice saying, “Hey, come on now, don’t cry. You don’t want to make a bad first impression.”

So Diana let out a watery chuckle and turned to look at her, a bright smile on her face as she said, “But really, would it be a  _ bad _ first impression?”

_ Would it really matter? _

Riven didn’t answer, a shadow of a smile over parted lips, a shaky breath escaping her as her eyes went from those silver, watery eyes to that smiling mouth.

“Chosen, please,” The old lady in front of her said, tears in her own eyes. “Follow me.”

Diana felt her legs slowly moving, slowly following on their own accord. “Where are you taking me to?” She heard herself ask.

“To your Temple.” The lady answered, amusement on her voice as she found it kind of funny, to be talking to the highest Priestess of her own religion like that.

Like an old, forgetful friend.

And, as Diana followed, daintily grabbing the woman’s hand, Riven and Leona stared after her.

Only for a moment, though.

“Well,” Riven said, slapping Leona’s back. “Let’s go.” She added somewhat energetically, before starting to walk after Diana.

Leona grabbed her wrist and made her halt, forcefully making her turn around. “I don’t think we were invited,” She said, somewhat warily, her eyes scanning the Lunari crowds around her, suddenly hyper aware of herself.

Riven rolled her eyes. “I’m not letting Diana get out of my sight, so I’m following her until I can’t do so no more. If this  _ is  _ a private party, then they’ll have to kick me out. You do what you will.” And with that, she turned around, yanking her arm free and walking after Diana. “Have fun being alone!” She called over her shoulder, having had enough of that for herself.

And as Leona saw them drift away from her, she grew nervous, feeling stares burning holes into her back.

So she quickly picked up the pace, falling right behind Riven.

Despite Riven’s rather violent aura, she saw a woman, someone as old as the young Captain Lito, she guessed, approach the Noxian warrior, falling into step by her side, her eyes glued to Riven’s red ones.

Riven stared back with anger, an instinctual answer of hers to a stranger’s attention.

The girl didn’t even flinch, offering her a smile instead. “You’re a warrior.”

Riven raised a brow. “What lead you to such a conclusion?”

Still smiling the girl continued. “Anyone can carry a sword, nowadays. It’s the fierce look in your eyes that gives you away. You could never pass as a farmer or something like that with that fire burning within you.”

Riven was somewhat taken aback, having not expected the topic of conversation. “Okay, so what?” She asked, a bite to her words that she hadn’t really intended.

The girl shook her head, lowering it as she said, “Sorry Miss, I never meant to offend you. I was just thinking out loud.” She looked up at Riven again, the small height difference being enough to make her crane her neck a bit, “If anything, I just wanted to compliment you.”

_ Now  _ she was surprised. “Compliment me?”

The girl nodded vigorously. “We can only imagine what dangers our Chosen had to face out there, but I imagine you don’t. I think you faced them next to her.”

Riven instinctively answered. “I did.”

“Well, then that makes you a hero to our eyes. Anyone who helps our people is welcome between us and you helped none other than—“

“Diana. Call her Diana. I think she’ll appreciate it.”

The girl processed the information for a minute. “Diana. Is that her given name?” She saw Riven nod. “Wouldn’t she find it disrespectful if I called her by it?”

Riven huffed a laugh. “Not at all. She’ll like it.”

The girl smiled. “Then I’ll do it. Thank you…” The Lunari hesitated.

“Riven.” The Noxian fired quickly, scanning the girl’s face, waiting for her reaction.

“Riven.” She echoed, testing the name, frowning as she recognized it and tried to tie it to something, to someone…

And then, just like that, she smiled again and answered, “I’m Fay.” As she offered Riven her hand for the warrior to shake.

Riven frowned at it, but took it and shook it, nonetheless. “Don’t you know who I am?”

The girl raised a brow. “Do I look like I don’t?” She questioned back, making Riven suddenly aware of the fact that the Noxian Invasion hadn’t been so long ago. “I know who you  _ were.  _ Not who you are.”

Riven swallowed her spit. Logical, yet anything but at the same time. “Then why are you nice to me?” She asked, not acknowledging the last thing Fay had said.

“Because you don’t look like what the history and its’ historians claim about you.” The woman merely stated with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’ll judge you based on what I know about you now and what I know to be true. Not what others think or whisper, regarding the person who you used to be before.”

“And what do you know about me now?”

“I know that you helped Diana, which means that us as Lunari are in eternal debt to you.” She raised a brow, “You may be a criminal to  _ Ionia  _ but you’re a hero to us. A friend of any Lunari out there is a friend of all Lunaris out there. And you’re friends with  _ Diana _ , no other.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is that you’re good.”

And just like that, Riven felt that thing that Diana had felt, too.

_ Home. _

What a curious thing, to find her home hidden in Ionia, of all places.

Destiny was a curious thing, she decided.

So Riven smiled at the girl, red eyes finding green ones, then said, “Thank you.”

The girl shook her head, her long, dark brown hair swaying with her movements as she answered, “No, thank  _ you.”  _

Riven laughed. “You’re welcome.”

“That’s better,” the Lunari teased with a wink, earning another laugh from the Noxian.

And, as silence took over, Riven looked at Diana.

She looked happy in a way she had never seen her before, hearing the old lady ramble about something with a certain shine to her eyes, small nods of acknowledgement thrown here and there, letting the woman continue her story, letting the woman drag her throughout the city.

She felt her heart’s beating against her chest as she watched.

She finally felt at complete easy again, a feeling she hadn’t had ever since crossing paths with Leona tha one last time.

_ Speaking of… _

She looked over her shoulder at the Solari.

Leona walked alone, looking rather small as she had been stripped of her shield, the object still strapped to Riven’s forearm. She was hugging her own frame though she disguised it as being merely arm-crossed, her eyes darting frantically all around her.

So Riven looked around her, too.

Everyone stared at Leona, but no one dared come close to her.

No one stared at her with fury, with anger, shining in their eyes. Riven knew that emotion way too well.

What they had in their expressions, their body languages… It wasn’t all that familiar to her.

It was  _ fear. _

They were  _ afraid  _ of Leona.

Riven studied the scene in front of her.

“Hey, Fay,” She heard herself say quietly, her eyes still on Leona’s as the Ra-Horak looked around. When she heard the Lunari hum in question, she continued, “Why is everyone so scared of her?”

Fay looked back at Leona and quickly turned again. “She’s the  _ Despair of the Sun _ , the hatred all Solaris feel, bottled in one perfect child of their vile system. A deadly weapon.”

_ Despair of the Sun…  _ “Her name’s Leona and she’s not deadly. If anything, she’s pitiful.” Riven answered, that new nickname to the Solari Chosen reminding her of the one her people gave Diana.

_ Scorn of the Moon. Despair of the Sun. _

She raised a brow.

_ You two match even in bad nicknaming. _

Fay shook her head, “She’s hunted Diana down throughout the land.”

“And how do you know that? Five minutes ago, none of you thought you had your Chosen back.”

Fay was grimacing. “There had been rumours all over Ionia about a Lunari  _ Priestess  _ and her  _ companion  _ being hunted down by the Chosen of the Sun…” She frowned. “We never knew whether it was true or not, let alone imagine the Priestess was no other than the Chosen of the Moon but…” She looked back at Leona for a second, then into Riven’s red eyes. “But seeing Diana here, with  _ you…  _ “

“It confirmed the rumours about the Priestess.”

“And therefore,” Fay continued for Riven, “The rumours about the leader of the Solari hunting her down, too.”

Riven frowned as she thought about it. “You never expected that huntress to arrive side by side with her prey.”

Fay shook her head. “This is… controversial, to say the least.” She said, carefully choosing her words. “But we don’t really know anything about Leona, so we’re wary—”

“You don’t trust her.” Riven corrected for her. “You don’t trust her nor her intentions, so you’re all afraid of her.”

Fay sighed. “We trust our Chosen’s decisions so, if she’s here and Diana is not fighting her, then it must mean that she’s trustworthy, too, but…”

Riven didn’t need her to say no more. “But it’s hard to trust someone who’s been hunting the one you all love the most, especially when you take into consideration that she belongs to the group of people who’s been hunting your own for ages, now.”

Fay simply nodded. “Old habits die hard.”

Riven hummed in contemplation. “I see.” She said, then, “Well, if you ask me, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Fay raised a brow. “Nothing at all?”

Riven shook her head. “Do you know anything about Leona?” She questioned, nodding back at the lonely Solari behind them. When Fay shook her head, she continued. “Then  _ that’s  _ why you’re afraid. You think she’s  _ deadly,  _ when the truth is that she’s not even close to being something like that. Hell, I think she’d be devastated to learn you think she’s a  _ weapon,  _ of all things.”

Fay frowned. “And how do you know this?”

Riven thought about her answer for a second. Would Diana be okay with the Noxian talking about her former relationship with the Ra-Horak? Would she be fine with her going around, telling people,  _ her  _ people, about their past, their secret affair?

She decided the answer would be  _ no  _ until proven otherwise. “Diana had crossed paths with Leona before becoming the Chosen of the Moon.” She vaguely explained. “She told me about the Leona she had known then. The  _ real  _ Chosen of the Sun.”

“It’s the same dilemma as with you, Riven.” Fay concluded.

“What do you mean?”

“We judge you based on who you are  _ today,  _ not who you were  _ yesterday.”  _ Fay said, staring into Riven’s eyes as she did. “We do the same with Leona.”

Riven shook her head quickly, “But—”

“You’re not the same person you used to be, right?”

“No!” Riven quickly barked back, not having expected the question.

“Well, then what will guarantee us that Leona is the same as she once was?” Fay asked her, no bite to her words as she just tried to make Riven see what she meant. “Diana knew one Leona and she told you about that version of her. I don’t think she ever imagined her…” She looked for a word, “ _ Friend  _ would hunt her down, later in life. She’s not who she used to be. She’s  _ dangerous  _ to our eyes and, until she proves the contrary, Diana and you should believe she’s  _ changed. _ ”

Riven couldn’t argue with her logic.

The same logic that had spared her trial for her past mistakes.

“Whenever Leona appears in front of my eyes, I don’t feel fear. I feel  _ anger.” _ Riven began. “I don’t like her, I  _ hate her _ . I have my reasons.” She added, hoping to discourage the curious woman from asking her about it. “But I must admit, even through my anger at her, I know she’s someone we can trust. She’s proved that much before.”

“She’ll have to prove it again.”

Riven nodded slowly, having nothing else to say.

“Still, you have to admit, we have very different ways of handling our differences.”

Riven looked at her, a brow raised. “Hm?”

“Her people kill us without a second thought. If it were the other way around, do you think her people would have mercy on Diana?”

“You’re right.” Riven said, without really thinking her answer, but not wishing to spur a fight.

Deep inside, though, she believed they weren’t giving her the same treatment due to two reasons;

One, she had come into the city with Diana, which must mean something to them.

Two, they weren’t angry at her. They were  _ afraid. _

_ And it’s not anger that paralyzes you into inaction. _

She looked at Leona. They made eye contact this time.

She offered a smile.

Leona didn’t smile back.

_ It’s fear. _

* * *

 

She couldn’t believe her eyes.

Diana couldn’t believe her eyes.

She was standing at the gates of a towering Temple, the symbol of the Moon above the closed doors, no sign of the Sun anywhere on it.

It was a Temple built to praise the Moon and the Moon only.

The first Temple she found fit for her and unfit for Leona; not even the one hidden in Mount Targon where she had found out about Skadi and Edlyn was as exclusive to the Lunar side of their religion as this one.

She felt at home, despite never being there before.

Not even in a dream state.

“When Lunari and Solari were born out of Empyreans, this was built as the first Lunar Temple in all of Runeterra.” The lady who had been guiding her suddenly said, explaining the building’s beginnings.

It alarmed Diana. “You know about the Empyreans?” She asked, surprised at the mention of the former religion.

The woman nodded. “It’s old, ancient history that no one nowadays remembers. There’s no records of what happened. No one knows why.” She went on a tangent for a second, getting lost in her memories. She closed her eyes, as if that were enough to make her snap out of it. “But when our religion got split in two, those who favored the Moon run away to Ionia, venering the Mistress of the Night only, building this one Temple and constantly keeping it pollute, mostly out of admiration to our Goddess.”

Diana frowned, confused at her words. “But if you know the truth about our religion, why not be an Empyrean?”

“Because the Solari decided to renounce the Moon and hunt her followers, so we decided to renounce the Sun—”

“And hide from her followers?” Diana questioned, barely veiled disappointment faintly coating her words.

The lady sighed. “We won’t behave like the Solari; we won’t hunt the children of ignorance, but until both parties agree to unite as one, there’s no use in venering the Sun, too.”

“So you do pretty much what Solaris do out of spite for them?” Diana asked her, a scowl on her pretty features.

“We discovered that Solaris were more offended, more provoked, whenever we told them the truth about  _ our Goddesses.  _ They didn’t hunt us down as brutally if we just kept quiet and let them tag us as  _ Lunari,  _ claiming we only follow the Moon.”

“Oh,” She could only say, looking away for a moment, feeling ridiculous. “I see.”

How could she doubt her own people? Protect those who hurt her and her beliefs?

_ I guess Solari programming runs deeper in one’s mind that I’ve ever thought. _

_ Have I ever renounced them completely? _

She was pulled out of her own head when she felt the woman’s hand on her back.

“We’re not the best and we’re not a lot, but we try harder every day, my Chosen.” She murmured. “We try not to fall into the Solari’s games of hatred. We refuse resentment.”

It soothed her, like cold water on a hot burn.

“Please, just call me Diana.” She settled for saying, a small smirk on her lips.

“Not too fond of formalities, are we?”

Diana chuckled. “Not really.”

“Well, damn me to oblivion,” Diana turned around at the sound of Riven’s voice, her eyes quickly running over her and the girl clinging to her arm, “This is one big Temple, Diana.” She finished, looking at her with a wild smile.

“I know, right?” She answered, the same playful tone on her voice. “And it’s all for me, apparently.”

“Honestly, if there’s someone in this world that deserves it, it’s probably you.” Riven said with a charming smile.

And Diana would have laughed, would have enjoyed the bantering, but her eyes landed on the approaching Leona.

And she felt how everyone seemed to move away from them.

From  _ her. _

She heard the doors to the Temple open up behind them and, upon seeing Leona’s eyes move towards those doors, widening at the sight, Diana turned around and stared.

A tall, muscular man with dark skin, black hair, a bushy beard and light blue eyes had opened the doors, a few people behind him inside the Temple, all of them staring at the lady who had been guiding her all along, all with an illegible emotion shining in their eyes.

In his eyes, though, there was the cold look of a judge.

Diana could feel Leona’s uneasiness skyrocket. She could swear her counterpart was actually shaking.

“Who knocks on the doors of the Lunari Temple?” He questioned in an unexpected loud voice, his eyes never leaving the old lady’s.

He hadn’t seen Diana. None of them had.

“I’m nothing but a follower of the Moon, High Priest, but I bring the best of companies.”

His eyes softened almost automatically, growing softer with every word the woman spoke. “No one is exactly nothing, dear, but I’ll let that pass.” He said, his voice suddenly as gentle as a whisper. Then, he started to speak again, as his curiosity made him look around, into the crowds of people, looking for the woman’s guest. “Who do you bring to our doorstep, that you say is such a spectacular…”

He went mute at the sight of Diana.

“Diana, this is Bast, the High Priest of the Lunari.” The lady said to Diana, her eyes going to silver ones only for a brief second. “High Priest, this is the Chosen of the Moon, but she prefers to be called by her name;  _ Diana.” _

The High Priest regarded her for a second. Then, he quickly fell on one knee, his head bowed. “My Cho—”

“Don’t do that.” Diana drawled interrupting him, a grimace on her face as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Please,” She added, as she looked at him raise his head, his eyebrows nearby his hairline. “Just treat me like anyone else.”

He stood up, feeling embarrassed for having embarrassed his Chosen, “Are you sure, my Ch—”

“My name is Diana.”

His cheeks heated up. “Diana.” He repeated, nodding once.

“Yes.” She said, feeling more at ease. “And yes, I’m sure.” She added, a small smile on her lips.

Bast lowered his head. “Apologies for that, Diana.”

She shook her head. “No harm was done.”

He looked at her with awe in her eyes. “Please, come inside. Your journey must have been long.”

“It was.” She immediately said, suddenly aware of her hunger, her exhaustion.

“Then let us take care of you.” He said with a warm smile, an interesting contrast to those cold eyes.

And as Diana took a step ahead, Riven did the same.

Bast’s eyes landed on her, any trace of softness gone. “And who would you be?”

Riven bowed her head a bit. “A friend.”

The Priest narrowed his eyes.

“Her name is Riven.” Fay called. “She’s a friend of our Ch— Of Diana.”

Bast looked at Fay with a disapproving look. “And a friend of yours now, I see. What I don’t see is your  _ uniform,  _ Priestess.”

Fay took a step towards him, shrugging her shoulders. “Seems I forgot to put it on.”

He tried his best not to chuckle. “Try not to, next time.” He said, though there was no real reprimand on his tone, no real threat to her misconduct.

“Yes, High Priest.” She said, then rushed inside, looking back at Riven with mischief in her eyes and a smirk on her lips before disappearing somewhere in the Temple.

“Riven.” Diana called her name, a raised brow, making the woman snap out of the trance the Lunari Priestess had put her in.

“What?”

“You know her, Diana?” Bast asked her.

“If it weren’t for her, I would have never found you.” She simply stated, a matter-of-fact tone to her voice.

He looked at Riven with a newfound respect. “Riven.”

She nodded. “That would be me.”

“Any friend of Diana’s is welcome in our Temple.” He stated, beckoning her to enter the sacred building, too. “Come, we’ll get you fed and rested, too.”

Riven’s eyebrows rose at that, “You had me at  _ fed and rested.”  _ She stated, power walking into the Temple, even before Diana herself entered it.

She was waiting for someone else to be faced by Bast’s judgement.

So she stood right in front of him and waited.

Leona eventually reached her side.

Diana looked at her with the utmost curiosity.

_ Why do you avoid facing him? _

Bast finally looked at her.

He growled.

“You’re not welcome here.”

The Priests behind him suddenly stood side by side, forming a human wall, keeping Leona out.

“I figured as much,  _ High Priest.”  _ Leona said, no bite to her words, but an interesting amount of sarcasm, product of her fear, her bitterness.

And her fear, Diana noticed, as she studied the Solari who would not look at the Priest.

She would have been mad, if it weren’t for Leona’s weird behavior.

“We won’t fall into your games of violence, Despair of the Sun, but we won’t allow you to disrespect us either.” Bast said again between clenched teeth, his hands snaking away from sight.

“It was not my intention to disrespect you nor anyone here, High Priest.” Leona said.

But her tone did not match her words, that taunting rhythm to her voice being barely veiled, completely audible.

Still, Diana heard the faint tremble of her voice.

The Priest didn’t.

So Bast, his hand already on the hilt of a hidden knife, allowed himself to react, though tried not to resort to violence.

He gave one step towards Leona, venom dripping from his lips, “You’d better leave—”

“No one’s leaving.” Diana’s strong voice stopped him, her hand on his chest, keeping him from moving forwards, emphasizing what she had said.

He looked at her, rather confused. “What—”

“Leona might be a lot of things, High Priest.” She began, then let go of him and faced Leona, watching as the Solari looked back at her, surprised at Diana’s intervention. “She’s a Rakkor, like me, like our people before what had happened between us. She used to be a Ra-Horak and now she’s a Solari.” She heard quiet murmurs around them. Tuning them out, she stood in between Bast and Leona, facing her. “She’s a warrior. She’s strong, loud, stubborn and ignorant.” She closed her eyes and sighed, trying to hide the tears that came at the memory of Marcus. “She’s a murderer.” She sentenced, before she opened her eyes, looking at the ground. “She’s a puppet of the lies she believes, she’s blind to the truth.”

But then Diana looked at her in the eye, coming closer to her, their faces mere inches apart. “But I’ve seen her heart. I’ve felt it beating alongside mine. In  _ rhythm  _ with mine.” Diana said, looking into Leona’s golden eyes, who knew the Lunari was shorter, but felt her taller than her all the same. “And let me tell you, High Priest; her heart has not been infected with the hatred that haunts us. She wields a shield to protect those who are weaker than her. She stand up against injustice. She has a heart that’s filled with love, with compassion, with mercy.” She turned around, looking at the Priest. “And no matter how much we have fought, how hurt I’ve been by her and her people, how blind she remains, I will always advocate for her. I’ll always stand as a witness to her kindness. And I invite her as my guest; if she can’t go in, then I won’t go in either because, at the end of the day, I’m the Chosen of the Moon and she’s the Chosen of the Sun, always bound by fate.” She looked at Leona over her shoulder. “In the good times and more so in the bad ones.”

Everyone around them had gone silent.

Diana turned her head to look at the High Priest, feeling Leona slowly approach her, her breath on her neck as she came closer to her ear.

“That was…”

She trailed off as Diana looked at her, staring as the Chosen of the Moon rolled her eyes and looked at Bast once more.

The man exhaled, relaxing his shoulders and letting go of his weapon. “You’re a very smart person, Diana.” He smiled. “Very kind, too.” He looked at the both of them. “Very well, she may come in.” Then, his smile vanished. “But be warned; if you cause trouble, you’ll be—”

“She won’t cause trouble, Bast.” Diana said, a confident smirk on his lips. “And if she does, she’s all yours and you’re allowed to never again believe a word that comes out of my mouth.”

Bast blinked once at Diana. “Okay,” He moved aside, the wall of priests breaking at the center as he did so, “Please, come in.” He finished.

So Diana turned her head, looking at Leona, and took her hand in hers, slowly beginning to walk, feeling Leona’s tremble between her fingers, now.

“Hey, it’s okay.” She quietly whispered, knowing only Leona could listen. “I’ll take care of them if they try to do something foolish.”

“It’s not that.” Leona whispered back, her eyes uncontrollably falling on those Lunari robes only to jump back to some random spot on the wall right in front of her.

_ Blood red, just like— _

“Then why are you shaking?”

Leona looked at Diana, her mind playing tricks on her as she saw the Lunari suddenly wearing those same blood red robes, those black gloves and boots, a demonic mask hanging idly from her neck.

She blinked hard, trying to erase the memories of her last dream with the Empyrean from her mind.

“I’ll tell you later.”

Diana was worried. “Okay.” She said, knowing it’d be wise not to push the matter any further.

And just like that, hand in hand, Diana and Leona entered the Lunari Temple.

* * *

 

His footsteps echoed throughout the dungeon.

They were slow, but precise. The gait of a predator who was stalking its’ prey.

He came to a stop all of a sudden and turned to his left, being right in front of the iron bars that separated him from the people inside the jail like cell.

One of the figures remained seated, his back to the corner, his head low, but the other figure immediately lunged for him, her hands grasping the bars with all of her strength.

“You fucking sick man,” Sekhet whispered furiously. “What the Hell do you want now?” She asked between clenched teeth.

Eos regarded her for a minute. Bared teeth, narrowed eyes, something even darker than rage shining inside those dark eyes. Her skin decorated with thousands of bumps and bruises of different shades of colorful tones. Her frame smaller than ever, product of the lack of proper nutrition. He could see some of her bones sticking out.

After Diana’s attack to those other Elders, the results being them turned into ashes, no one questioned him when he claimed that Mistress Sekhet had been killed alongside them, being burned into nothing but dust.

Truth was she hadn’t died. She hadn’t been close enough to even be harmed.

He had ordered his guards to take her, along with Akins, who was currently curled up in a ball against a corner of the cell, into the dungeons.

When the dust settled, he began to  _ play  _ with them, making them pay for ever defying him, specially that one day, in front of none other but the  _ Scorn of the Moon. _

Surely, Sekhet had been the one he had beat up the most. The woman had antagonized him his whole life.

But they had never died. Eos had made sure they’d be alive for a long time. After all, once they died, the game ended.

He chuckled at Sekhet’s constant anger. “Tonight I’m not here to punish you, actually.”

“Then what the fuck do you want, Eos?” She asked back, her anger making any kind of filter she had disappear.

“I came to tell you that your little moon-addled Scholar will not make it to see tomorrow.” He said, smiling as he looked into Sekhet’s eyes, a faint desperation to them. “Soldiers who had been sent to find Leona found her instead and returned, informing me of her whereabouts. Ionia. Our troops are on the way. Demacia is aiding us.”

Sekhet would have been terrified of his words, the love she still felt for Diana being stronger than anything else she felt, but something he said had caught her keen ear, her curious mind’s attention. “You sent people to look for Leona and they found Diana instead.” She looked into his eyes. “They found them together, didn’t they?”

Eos hadn’t expected the woman to put two and two together. “They didn’t—”

“They found Leona and Diana together, side by side, and that scares you.”

He grew angrier. “Quiet.”

Sekhet smirked. “It scares you because you know that once they unite, you’re a dead man.”

“ _ Enough!” _

The dungeons grew quiet. Sekhet still smiled.

“I came here to let you know she dies tonight. Not to hear nonsense.” He growled, getting his face close to Sekhet’s. “Your little darling protégée will finally die. What do you say about that?” He attempted to taunt, a vicious smile on his lips.

But Sekhet hadn’t backed down. “I stand by my darling protégée’s side and tell you the Moon will kick the Sun’s ass and I couldn’t be more proud of it.” She sentenced.

And, when she saw he wasn’t moving away, she saw her chance.

Sekhet spit on his face.

She backed away with laughter making its’ way through her lips as she saw the look of disgust on his face.

“Praise the  _ Moon!  _ Long live the  _ Lunari!”  _ She chanted, enjoying the fury in Eos’ face.

He was about to say something, but his guards finally entered the dungeon, loudly calling for him, “My Elder, we brought the Scholar you requested down here.”

Eos let out a long exhale, cleaning his face with the back of his hand. “Leave her on her cell. I’ll take care of her.”

So Helena was thrown into a small cage she found all too familiar, the guards disappearing moments after.

Sekhet’s laughter died.

Eos smiled again. “You think it’s funny, huh? I don’t think you’ll find it funny when you see what I have planned for your other favorite Scholar.”

“Nothing you could do to her will ever be worse than what you already did.” She said, trying to convince herself more than him.

“Keeping her delusionally drugged isn’t necessarily that bad of a torture.” Eos commented playfully. “I must admit, I got creative with the one I got ready for her.”

Sekhet bit into the bait. “What are you going to do?”

“While we wait for news on the Ionia situation, I think I’ll play with that thing your precious Diana seems to keep claiming; we’re all  _ blind.” _

Sekhet’s expression turned into one of horror as she saw Eos pull out an iron ring, the top part of it enchanted so as to keep it forever burning.

He was going to burn her eyes.

“Do it to me if you dare, coward.” Sekhet taunted, trying to distract him from the defenseless Helena.

But, as she saw him laugh and enter her cell, she knew it was already too late.

* * *

 

“My Grand General,” His gruff voice echoed throughout the big hall, his accent as rough as Riven’s. “Demacian troops have been spotted making their way to Ionia.”

Swain listened to Darius’ words carefully, an analyzing expression on his face. “That’s uncanny. What would Demacia ever want in Ionia?” He mumbled more to himself than to the man in front of him.

“They motives remain unclear, but some Rakkor reinforcements were seen, too.” Darius finished his report, looking at his General and awaiting orders.

But he didn’t need to await anything, really. “You already know what you need to do, Hand of Noxus.” Swain sentenced.

“Yes, my Lord.” Darius said, bowing profusely, before making it out of the great Hall.

As he caught sight of his soldiers, posted as guards all over the place, he called their attention, needing someone to deliver a message for him.

“Tell the Trifarian Legion. We’re invading Ionia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so uh, shit's going down.  
> Comments? thoughts? love? leave it below buddy!


	39. Chapter 39

As soon as they were inside the Temple, Diana's mind blanked.

Her eyes roamed the building with awe, her mouth hanging open as she stared at the beautiful structure with wonder and curiosity, the silvery color of the Temple being somewhat soothing for her, making her feel in her element, in a way.

"The Main Hall of the Temple is where we meditate and pray, mostly." Bast explained to them as they made their way throughout the place. "The ceiling is made of a magical glass that darkens at dawn, but becomes see-through when dusk approaches."

"And what's that?" Diana heard Riven ask, so she turned to look at the warrior, then her eyes followed her finger as it pointed at something.

Right in front of her, in the middle of the back wall of the Temple, a humongous…

"It's a mirror." Diana stated, finding Riven's question rather stupid.

Riven glared at her.

Diana smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

"This mirror has been here forever." Bast commented, looking at it with an analyzing frown. "We don't really know its' origin or how it even got here. All we know is that the Temple has been built around it; Ionians saw it standing here during one Lunar Revel and informed the Lunari they could find after the decimation of the Empyreans about it."

"Why inform the Lunari, specifically?" Leona mused out loud, studying the mirror that stood twice as tall as her, twice as wide, too.

"Look at the mirror's top frame." Bast said.

Leona's eyes moved towards it. "The symbol of the..." She started saying with a wary look, growing quiet as she spoke.

"The symbol of the  _Moon,"_ Bast corrected. "Before we became two different religions, both symbols still existed, if only to differentiate what was purely of the Sun from what was purely of the Moon." He looked at the two Rakkor women and the Noxian one, shrugging his broad shoulders. "Each party then adopted their respective symbol as the emblem of their people, but the truth is really another."

Diana stared at him. "You talk very freely about the Empyreans, considering you're a Lunari and are against the Solari."

Bast raised a brow. "History is history. We can't change it; all we can do is teach it and hope the future can see the past mistakes fixed."

Diana wasn't entirely sure whether that meant to destroy the Solari or to reunite the Empyreans.

"There's always a lesson to be learned from the past." Riven blurted out loud, not really aware of it.

"Let's move on." Leona quickly said before anyone else could comment on it, feeling uncomfortable.

"Sure," Bast said, turning to continue walking throughout the Temple. "This way."

He guided them throughout the different halls and rooms, the Lunari's sacred building being rather different to its' Solari counterpart; all of the Temple had been built around the big mirror in the main Hall, no garden to be found, unlike the Solari one, which had been built with a small patch of green in its' core, a place to see the Sun hit the land.

As the rings of the Temple expanded outwards, the rooms became less sacred, in a way; study rooms were closest to the Main Hall, with dining halls coming after them, then nurseries and finally the bedrooms for the priests of the night.

Diana frowned at what she could see. "Where does that staircase lead to?" She asked, pointing at a set of stairs located on the furthest wall of the Temple's outer ring.

"Let's see." Bast said, taking the lead and going down the stairs. "Follow me."

So Diana, Leona and Riven followed, descending, followed by some other priests.

As they hit the last step, they found themselves in a humongous room with tables, chairs, even beds.

"When the Temple was built," Bast began. "The Mirror room was thought as a circle, the rings as semi-circles that cover it, like layers." He turned and look at Diana. "Much like the symbol on your forehead." Then, he sighed. "But we figured that we wouldn't survive another Solari purge in this Temple, for it's a hard to escape kind of building, so we built this underground refugee."

"For the Lunari?"

"Not all of us."

Diana frowned. "How so?"

Bast looked at her, "Those of us who serve the Moon would remain in the Main Temple, letting those who just follow her hide in here."

Diana's eyes widened as a breath escaped her lips.

_The Priests would sacrifice themselves to satisfy the Solari's bloodlust, thus saving the rest of the Lunari._

"And how would you hide the staircase?" Leona asked, making Diana realize she had reached the same conclusion.

"A fake wall that remains open while we move around. Whenever we want to hide this place, we place it in front of the stairs and lock it in place."

"A kind of last resort bunker." Riven mused out loud, then nodded, "It's a clever idea."

"A sad one, too." Leona said.

Silence.

"Yeah," Bast finally said, "It  _is_ sad." He sighed, deciding it would be better to change the subject. "Let's go upstairs, I'll show you three where you can stay."

They silently made their way back up, none of them wishing to comment on what had just been discussed.

"We have some free rooms for you three in the outer ring of the Temple." Bast said as he walked. He looked at Diana, apologetically, "I'm sorry, Diana, but we have nothing really fit for the Chosen One, only a common bedroom."

Diana laughed. "Bast, I've been sleeping on the dirt for months. A bed will be luxury enough."

He showed Riven and Leona one small bedroom they'd share, while Diana would have her own room right next door to theirs, somewhat bigger than the rest of them, even if it had the same kind of furniture on it.

"Well, we'll call you once dinner is ready and served. In the meantime, you three should rest; warriors who've endured the trip towards Ionia all the way from the Rakkor lands must be exhausted. There are fresh robes for you all in the rooms' wardrobes, feel free to use them." Bast said, then bowed and walked away, his Scholars following him.

"Diana, I like your people already." Riven said, stretching her arms above her head, smiling as she heard the Empyrean chuckle. "Well, I'll take a quick nap. Gods know I'm exhausted." She announced, before patting Leona on the back and disappearing into their room.

Diana sighed, rolling her shoulders and easing the tension hid there. "We should do the same," She said, looking at Leona with a tired, yet satisfied, look. "I'll be in my room."

So Diana turned and walked into her own bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Leona looked after her, then sighed and went into her own.

Riven was already on her bed, her footwear on the ground as she took off the bits of armor she wore.

The bandages on her arms.

She looked up at Leona for a brief second, before going back to her task, the Ra-Horak slowly moving to her bed and sitting, right in front of Riven.

She watched as those bandages were slowly taken away, revealing the skin underneath it.

"Did you lose something?" Riven asked in a strong voice, making Leona feel embarrassed for having been staring.

"Nothing." She quickly said, then tried to look away.

But it was impossible.

Riven felt it.

"These are the burns I got when that Zaunite unit exploded," Riven explained, watching her own hands, "I brought my shield up a second too late, so my hands got caught in it." She finished, stealing a glance in Leona's direction, before looking down again, flexing and unflexing her hands. "They remind me of a lot of things."

Leona took the bait. "Like what?"

Riven sighed, her head lolling to a side. "Well, first of all, that I'm alive while my friends are not." She began, her mind wondering for a brief second whether Cyrus was still alive or not, for he had been the one who had shot the final arrow. Shaking it off, she continued, "Then, that Noxus and Zaun have betrayed me and are not to be trusted, no matter how well I had been treated in the past. Third, that the Noxian Pride is a fat lie, for they tried to bring Ionia down in a shameful way. Last, but not least, that the Noxian Riven is dead and I'm the one left."

"Which Riven is that?"

Riven looked up at Leona. "One that hates Noxus."

Leona smirked. "Demacian, much?" She asked, laughing as Riven grimaced.

"Gods, no. I hate them just as much." Then, she frowned as she realized something, "I must be honest and say I think I hate pretty much anyone who's too patriotic."

"So, everyone."

Riven laughed and nodded, "Exactly." Then, her laugh vanished, "Except Diana."

Leona looked at her, a brow raised. "Diana?" Riven nodded. Leona huffed, "How come?"

Riven had no anger left in her to get offended at that. "Diana used to be a Solari but she allowed herself to question her own people, to question  _herself."_ Riven explained. "And when she saw all of what she believed to be true come crashing down, she allowed it to happen, looking for something she could believe in, something she could stand up for, something that resonated with her." Riven had a smile on her lips. "For that, I respect her. A lot." Then, she had a rather taunting look when she said, "And for that same reason I have no respect for you."

Leona didn't let herself be hurt by the comment, trying to reason with Riven instead, "She's trying to hunt down the Solari just for their beliefs, don't you find anything wrong with that?"

Riven couldn't believe her ears, laughing at Leona's words. "Are you hearing yourself, Solari?" She asked, "You're trying to paint her as the bad guy when she's actually the good one. She's trying to make your people see the truth for what it is because their lies are not only hurting those who simply choose not to follow them, but also forcing her  _own_ people into hiding. If your Solari weren't as crazy for blood as they are, she wouldn't fight you all. She's merely defending herself and her own." Then, she frowned, "And that isn't even what she had been doing all this time; she was just looking for her people and protecting the world from the Void. Meanwhile, you were making her job impossibly hard by annoying her from time to time."

Leona felt overwhelmed, all of it becoming an awful lot of noise in her head as if it were this big, chaotically messy yarn on her mind.

Riven could see desperation in her eyes.

Laying back down on her bed, she closed her eyes. "I'm going to rest a little bit, let my hands breathe out of their bandages. Maybe try doing the same."

Leona laid down, following Riven's advice.

When she closed her eyes, despite her inner turmoil, she didn't open them again.

* * *

By the time she woke up, it was already dark outside.

Groggily, Leona sat up on her bed, rubbing her eyes.

She looked at Riven's bed only to find it empty, frowning at it.

With a long sigh, she got up and made her way out of the room.

Once in the hallway, Leona could hear lighthearted chatter coming from the dining halls, making her frown. How long had she been out?

She heard a door open up somewhere behind her, making her turn to look, only to find Diana coming out of her bedroom.

The Empyrean was slightly startled due to the movement, making her eyes land on the Ra-Horak. "Oh, you're up, already."

"Yeah," Leona said, still frowning, her eyes darting to the ground. "Where's Riven?"

"She went with this new  _friend_ of hers, Fay, to the dining hall for dinner."

"Oh," Leona said, "I wasn't woken up for dinner, like Bast promised." She added, feeling a bit bothered by it.

Looking for anything to feel offended by the Lunari.

"Yeah, I told them not to disturb you while you rested." Diana responded, making Leona look at her.

"Why not?"

"Because you were more tired than both Riven and I put together, Leo." She said, a small smirk on her lips. "When Fay came to let the three of us know dinner was ready, she woke Riven and I up in no time. You, on the other hand, have a slightly heavier sleep." She tried to hide her mirth, "I told her not to wake you up and let you sleep instead. They saved you food though, so if you want, I can go to the dining hall with you, keep you company while you eat."

Leona thought about it for a moment. While she had been busy trying to come up with excuses to feel angry at the Lunari, they were doing their best to accommodate to her needs.

"Can I come in, for a moment?" Leona suddenly asked, tense. "We can go to the dining hall later."

Diana's brows rose slightly. "Sure." She moved back into her room, "Come in." She ordered, closing the door after Leona as the Ra-Horak moved towards the bed and took a seat on it.

Diana rested her back against the door. "What's up?" She asked, folding her arms right in front of her, staring at Leona with a neutral expression.

Leona's eyes went up and down the Empyrean's body. Having gotten ridden of her armor, she was wearing some simple, white robes that showed off her legs, arms and shoulders, her neck being also visible since she had fashioned her hair into a high ponytail.

"You look good." Was all she managed to say.

Diana smiled. "Thank you," She said, checking herself up. "I was a bit tired of the old armor." Then, she noticed Leona was still on her Ra-Horak one, "Maybe you should do the same."

Leona nodded, "Maybe later."

And they remained for a minute, just like that. In silence.

"You put too much faith in me."

"What?"

Leona looked at Diana. "You heard me. You should stop doing that, give it up."

Diana frowned, shaking her head, then walked towards the bed, taking a seat right next to her.

"Why are you saying that and, of all times, why  _now?"_

"All of those things that you said outside…" Leona began, shutting her eyes closed. "You think you know me so well, don't you?" She asked her, suddenly staring at her. "You think I'm the same woman I used to be when we were together but the truth is that I've changed!" She raised her voice, "Your actions have changed me." She then muttered, looking away, before closing her eyes, letting her head rest on her hands.

And then Diana heard it, faint it, barely there, hidden by Leona, her hands, her mouth, her silence.

"I'm nothing but a shadow of who I used to be."

Diana sighed, thinking her answer for a brief moment.

Leona turned her head to a side at the feeling of Diana's hand on her shoulder.

"No matter what you believe in; Solari, Lunari, Empyrean, they all share one thing in common." Diana said softly.

"What is it?"

Then, Leona noticed a small, rather sad, tight lipped smile as Diana replied, "That you and I are linked, somehow. The Moon and The Sun are, whether it's due to love or hate, connected in a way, which makes you, the Chosen of the Sun, connected to me, the Chosen of the Moon." Diana leaned forward a bit, "We're linked, connected." Then, something shone in her eyes as she said, " _Destined."_

She moved backwards again, her back resting against the wall to the side of her bed, her hand still on Leona's shoulder. "I have no doubt that my actions have affected you, but they've also changed  _me_ a lot." Then she looked away, "I've learned things that defied what I used to believe in, I've  _done_ things I've never thought I'd be capable of, I've met friends and enemies, I've discovered new places and saw old ones under a new, fresher light. All of this has changed me— No, all of this  _keeps_ changing me," She corrected herself. "I'm in constant change, in constant transformation, always evolving into something,  _someone,_ new." Then, she smirked, "Someone  _better,_ I like to believe." And finally, she looked gentle as she added, "But, deep inside, I'm always  _me._ There's a core to me that never changes.  _Who_ I am doesn't change.  _What_ I am, maybe."

_I'm the same Diana from the Temple, with black hair and blue eyes._

But then that gentle expression fell, sadness taking over Diana's face. "But, just as my actions change me and you, your own doing also does the same to both of us. A lot of what I've done has been a direct answer to things you've done to me."

Then Diana closed her eyes and Leona had to brace for impact. She knew what she was about to say—

"I started killing your soldiers when you killed my father. I hadn't even tried to do so before then."

Leona felt the need to excuse herself, "Well, but you killed—"

"I'm not scolding you nor is this a competition to see  _who_ killed  _who,_ Leona." Diana said, successfully quieting her down. "I'm just trying to make a point." She added, her silver eyes anchoring themselves on golden ones."I'm not even a  _shadow_ of who I used to be back in the Solari Temple, yet I'm the same Diana." She finally said, making Leona blush for she had heard her silent confession. "And call it a fool's hope if you want but I really do think that the golden hearted Leona I once fell in love with is still in there, somewhere." She finished, not ashamed of her past nor her words, surprising Leona a bit with them ,though.

Leona looked away, thinking about Diana's words for a minute.

Diana's shoulders relaxed, even as she saw Leona's body all tensed up.

She considered she might as well ease that tension a bit. "Besides, I can see the guilt in your eyes every time you think about Marcus. I know you regret it every night, amongst other things."

Leona chose to ignore that last part. "How would you know that?" She asked in an accusing tone.

It made Diana just a bit angry. She looked at her with a bored expression. "Sun and Moon are representatives of opposites, Life and Death being one of them. Not only do I know everything that happens under my Mistress' light, I can also aid her with her duties, the passing of souls being one of them." Her eyes turned cold, "I helped Marcus pass onto the next plane." She leaned forwards again, her face mere inches from Leona's. "Do you want me to tell you what he told me before leaving this world?"

Leona gulped. It was as good an answer as she would get.

"He first refused to tell me who had killed him, saying it was not his place. Then, he begged me never to lose my faith in you, for he knew I'd get you back under the light, one day." A muscle on her jaw feathered. "He covered for you and, even in his death, protected you. From me."

She couldn't take this one sided conversation anymore, so Diana stood up, moving towards the door.

"He made a terrible mistake, then." She heard Leona say, making her stop just before opening the door. "A very foolish one."

Diana turned around, a tired look on her face. "Keep talking all you want, Leo. It just goes to prove you're afraid. You've always been, you'll always be."

Leona frowned. "Afraid?" At Diana's  _Yeah, afraid,_ she scoffed, "Of what?"

"You're afraid of opening up your mind and your heart to the truth or, at least, to the possibility of the truth being another one, because it's easier to remain in the dark, ignorant to what's going on around you, than to move to the light and learn how things are. It's easier to get hurt if you love, so you'd rather live in your world of hate. You'd rather stay in your comfortable Solari lies, because knowing that all you now believe to be true might be a big, fat lie makes you uncomfortable. Knowing that you might have been the bad guy in the story all along makes you feel uncomfortable. Guilty. Sad. Terrified."

Leona was shaking her head, that chaotically messy yarn again in her head. "That's, that's not—"

"The hardest step is admitting it to yourself, Leo." Diana said, her hand still on the door's handle. "Then, the rest, is easy like a downhill walk. Judging by what you said to me when we met before arriving here, I think you're stuck in the first step." She smirked, "Stuck, but trying."

Leona looked away, her gaze falling to her fiddling hands.

Diana knew what was in Leona's mind.

So, as she opened the door, she said it.

"I haven't seen Khait pass onto the next realm. He's still in this one, some unfinished business making him stay as a spirit."

Leona looked up into silvery eyes.

"I think the unfinished business is you."

The Ra-Horak watched as Diana quietly left the room, closing the door behind her with a faint  _click._

And then, alone in her former lover's room, Leona allowed herself to do something she hadn't really done in years.

And cried.

* * *

Demacian troops. Noxian troops. Solari troops.

No Ra-Horak among them, though, for they only answered to Leona and she was currently missing, which meant they would not spring into action.

Still. Three armies.

All meant to meet in Ionia. A country still being rebuilt from its' own ashes.

With both Chosens there, ready to be found.

Ready to be slaughtered.

For balance and peace to be killed.

For chaos to be released into Runeterra.

And what was life, but a playground for chaos?

Decisions from a past long forgotten were beginning to bear fruit once more.

Illusions, tricks, gimmicks, broken promises and lies.

All for her purpose.

Her clan's purpose.

Peace to be gone and Chaos to be installed.

* * *

She had been crying for a while. Diana never came back.

She was vaguely aware that days had gone by, days in which she had been locked in Diana's room.

Locked by her own decision, with food being delivered at least twice a day. She would always wait until she couldn't take it no more and eat what she was given.

Her food, due to her own antics, was always cold.

She knew Riven and Diana were in the room next door.

More than once, in the dead silence of the night, she heard Riven get up from her bed, getting into Diana's.

One night, she stopped hearing it.

She knew it was because they had stopped playing the senseless game, finally getting into the same bed from the very beginning of the night.

More than once she had laid her ear against the wall their rooms shared, hearing Riven whisper sweet nothings for Diana to hear, the Lunari's sweet, quiet laugh being her only answer.

She wondered if they had kissed.

She wondered if they had fucked.

She hoped they hadn't. She thought they had.

All she knew with certainty was that they probably slept skin against skin, Riven's head on Diana's chest.

She hated it.

A small part of her was glad, though.

Diana deserved someone who'd take care of her.

And, every time she thought of that, she swore she could hear a faint, almost inaudible voice whispering  _She loves you, though, you idiot._ Into her brain.

She knew it was just her mind, her fool's hope.

She was brought out of her lunatic's musing when she heard footsteps approaching.  _Riven._

She heard Riven enter the room next door. Alone.

Against better judgement, she stood up on her own feet _._

With puffy eyes, Leona walked out of Diana's room, wandering the Temple for a little bit. Chatter and laughter could be heard all throughout the building, which surprised Leona just a bit; Midnight being only minutes away, it was only natural for the Lunari Temple to be alive with the sound of life, but it was a stark contrast to the Solari one.

A rumble in her stomach made her walk towards the dining hall and, as Midnight came over them, she carefully avoided the Main Hall, for it seemed there was a mass prayer being held there at the moment, all chattering and laughter being gone, replaced with a sudden, calm silence.

In the hall, only Diana was to be found, her table empty save for a plate with food.

Leona swallowed her pride and walked towards her, sitting right in front.

Silently, Diana pushed the food towards her.

Leona started eating.

"Why aren't you in the Main Hall, joining the Lunari in their prayers?"

"Because I figured you'd come here, sooner or later."

Leona closed her eyes.

_She's been waiting for you._

The food was still warm.

"I thought you wouldn't want to miss the first prayer in the name of your Mistress that you're able to witness."

 _That_ you  _are able to witness. This isn't the first one for her. It's the first one for you. You haven't been out of that room in forever._

"I bet I'll have a thousand more prayers in the name of my Mistress to attend to in the future."

Leona gulped.

_You're her priority._

"I bet you will." She settled for saying.

Diana simply smiled.

As time passed by, Leona finished her meal.

The Temple was still quiet. They were still alone.

Nobody had bothered her during her days, maybe even weeks? of stay. She didn't even recall hearing Priests of the Night near her bedroom, only Diana and Riven.

She knew it was all Diana's doing.

It seemed the silver haired woman was always looking out for her, no matter how stubborn she was.

Knowing that she needed to be alone and exactly how much time alone she needed.

She had hit the nail on the head. Driven the point home.

"Diana."

"Hm?"

"About before."

"What about it?"

"I mean,  _way_ before, when we were about to enter the Temple." Leona said, as Diana frowned. "Remember I felt uncomfortable?"

"Yeah, I do." Diana said, "What about it?"

"I didn't feel like that because of Bast and the rest being Lunari."

Diana raised a brow. "No?" Leona shook her head. "Then, why?"

"Their robes," Leona started, trying not to stop herself. "I've dreamed about them before." She looked into Diana's eyes, "I've dreamed about  _you_ in them, before. In this dream, you told me to search for Helena and that's how I ended up looking for you."

Diana's brows were on her hairline. Slowly, she stood up, Leona doing the same, unconsciously.

The Ra-Horak watched as Diana slowly moved until she was next to her, "Where are you going?" She asked.

"Perhaps  _you_ need to be in that prayer, Leo, because not even I knew about the blood red robes." She offered the Solari her hand, "Let's go."

And Leona hesitated, sure.

But, after a little while, she took her hand, accepting the offer.

Hand in hand, Chosen of the Sun and Chosen of the Moon walked into the Main Hall.

All of the Lunari Priests were on their knees, facing the Mirror, arms extended to their sides, face up to the night's sky, silent prayers slipping from their lips.

Bast was the only one looking at the opposite direction, being right in front of all of the Priests, though in the same position as them.

Diana looked up at the sky.

Leona did the same.

Full moon.

Neither looked away.

They didn't speak, out of respect to the religious moment happening right in front of them.

But then Bast opened his eyes, those pupils falling on Diana and Leona.

On their linked hands.

Standing up, he used his voice in a hushed whisper. "We're done for the night, Priests. Return to your rooms." He commanded.

Standing up and putting the hoods of their blood red robes on, all of the people in the room left in silence.

Leona and Diana being the only ones remaining.

"Well, that's all the prayer I'm witnessing today." Leona said, sourly.

Diana released her hand and walked slowly around the room, "They left because Bast felt it."

"He felt what?"

"How badly I wanted them all gone."

It confused Leona. "Didn't you want me to—"

"I just wanted you in this room, with me,  _alone."_ Diana said, looking at Leona with a frown, some strands of hair being released from that ponytail, framing her face. "Something about this room keeps bringing me back. It pulls me in, like a magnet." She looked around, trying to come up with an explanation. "An energy of sorts."

Leona felt a bit cold, so she folded her arms in front of herself. "Didn't you try asking Skadi about it?" She questioned, still feeling a bit skeptical about the holy beings, but accepting them as true entities, after what had happened with Edlyn.

"I have, but she hasn't responded." Diana grimaced, her eyes shut closed, her hand on her face as her thumb and index finger applied pressure to both of her temples as she continued, "She hasn't talked to me ever since we entered the Temple. I haven't even felt her presence." She looked at Leona. "I think she wants me to figure this one out on my own." She took a step towards the Solari, "Or with your help."

Leona looked worried. "I don't know how I can be of any help to you." Then, with a defeated smile, she added, "You have it all figured out, while I can't tell black from white."

"Don't give yourself so little credit, Leo." Diana said, her eyes roaming the room as she walked around, finally stopping right in front of that humongous mirror, frowning at her own reflection.

Letting a shaky exhale out, Leona walked towards her, stopping right behind. "I'll give myself more when I prove I'm worthy of it."

Diana huffed a laugh, moving closer to the mirror, turning around and resting her backside on it, her hands laying on it too, one to each side of her body. "You're silly."

With an exaggerated, cocky smirk, Leona moved to what remained free of the mirror. She brought her hand up, ready to place it on the glass and rest her weight on it as she talked. "Well, that's something I can confirm that I am."

As her hand came into contact with the Lunari Mirror, she felt it warming up.

She frowned.

She saw Diana frown.

"Do you feel that?" Diana asked, confused.

And, before Leona could say  _yes,_ they both fell through the looking glass.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh... how bout them chosens?
> 
> I hope you all are liking it! I know I took my sweet ass time writing this one specifically because ideas kept bouncing from one place to another in my skull.
> 
> Can y'all guess what's that little insert in the middle of the chapter? Who's behind it?
> 
> I love you all! Hope you've enjoyed.


	40. Chapter 40

Diana and Leona were certain of only two things. One, wherever they were, they were outside of the Temple, for the wind was blowing hard and cold all around them, its' whistle being loud and clear.

Two, if Winter hadn't caught up with them before, it certainly had done so now, for there was ice cold snow on the ground, cushioning their crash.

They landed with a rather soft thud, Diana on her back, using her momentum to roll backwards and land on her feet, Leona on her side, quickly rushing and standing up in no time.

"Where are we?" Diana quickly asked, alarmed, her natural cold skin making her not feel the temperature change but making her well aware of the fact that she'd be freezing soon.

"I don't know," Leona started, their everlasting contrast shining through as her warm skin made her feel the abrupt cold but allowed her to stay warm enough it didn't bother her anymore. "I hadn't seen snow anywhere near Ionia." She commented, a worried frown on her features as she looked at Diana.

They looked around frantically, moving on the small patch of snow they were on until—

"Watch out!" Leona roared, catching Diana by her arm as the ground underneath her toes gave away, pulling her closer.

The Empyrean breathed out her shock, watching as rocks and snow fell off the cliffside. "Thank you," She mumbled, looking at Leona over her shoulder, "We're on a mountain."

Leona smirked at the obvious statement. "I could tell. The real question is  _which_ mountain it is." She said as she gently let go of the silver haired woman.

Diana hummed in thought and approached the mountain side once more, this time more carefully, feeling Leona's body warmth as she got close, too. Looking down at the ground underneath them, they saw an oddly familiar structure near the mountain's base.

"That's…" Diana began.

"That's the Solari Temple." Leona finished for her, the Chosen of the Moon being able to hear the confusion on her tone. Then, as they looked at each other, she added, "We're on Mount Targon."

Looking around, Diana noticed they were on a sort of clear, a patch of land that could serve as a stop on the climb up, an uphill walk that snaked its' way up around a wall of dirt to their side, the cliff being opposite to it, the only other way being a downhill walk.

"We're near the top, already past the place were that Temple is hidden on."

Leona frowned. "Which Temple?"

Diana looked at her with a raised brow, as if asking if she really had to remind her of it.

Leona blushed. "Oh." She said, making Diana smirk, looking cocky at that. Then, she shook her embarrassment off, "So, that mirror…"

Diana frowned. "It seems to be a portal of sorts, a passage that leads to this place."

"It must have activated when you touched it."

Diana shook her head. "After feeling the energy stored in that room, I concluded the mirror had something to do with it, so I tried interacting with it, with my own power, but it had never activated." She looked at Leona, then, "Until we touched it together."

"No," Leona said, incredulous. "I'm no longer the Chosen of the Sun, remember?"

"You still  _are,_ Leona. You've just been denied your powers, but you remain the Chosen of the Sun, no matter how shittily you behave."

The Ra-Horak rolled her eyes at the matter-of-fact tone on Diana's voice. "Ha, ha. Fine. I get it. Let's move on."

Looking even more arrogant, Diana had trouble letting go of her ego. "Fine, fine, sore loser." She said, pretending not to see the auburn haired woman's bored expression. Getting serious for a minute, she thought out loud. "I think we should climb up."

Leona looked up at the peak, close enough that they could see it. "I mean, we're already here, aren't we?"

"Last time I was here, I saw Skadi running around, forcing me up." Diana suddenly confessed, feeling Leona's eyes on her. "I don't really need her here once more to tell me this time I have to actually reach the summit." She looked at Leona, a challenge on her eyes, "Let's go."

So Leona nodded her head, letting Diana take the lead.

And, slowly, but surely, they climbed their way up.

Their bodies slowly catching up with them.

Leona handling the cold fine. Diana slowly starting to suffer it.

Diana handling her body's limits just fine. Leona's stamina slowly giving up.

But then they both felt it, almost at the same time, prompting them to look at each other with a frown on their faces.

A sudden warmth in the middle of the wintery atmosphere.

The howling wind, quiet and calm.

Without another moment's hesitation, they ran the final steps up.

Another, this time smaller, patch of land greeted them.

This time, illuminated.

Diana and Leona stared in awe a the sight in front of them; in the middle of the night, with stars plaguing the sky, the full Moon shone as bright as the auroras and its' colors, making the snow at the peak look as if it were glowing. Even planets were visible, no matter the distance. The air all around them feeling heavy, dense with an ancient power so strong that even Leona could feel it, despite her current lack of supernatural abilities.

"Do you feel that?" The Solar woman questioned.

"Yeah," Diana said as she nodded, "I'm honestly surprised you can feel it."

"It is  _that_ strong." Leona said, her fear only perceptible due to the faint change on her tone.

"Mount Targon's summit is a very powerful place." Diana explained, "It's on this high location that the powers of different, holier worlds manage to enter our own. Consider them visitors to our land, this peak being the gates to our world."

"I had read legends about some celestial city where the Aspects reside, its' entrance being found only here." Leona commented, curiously imagining Skadi and Edlyn, along with the other previous Chosens, living in eternal harmony in there.

Diana hummed in agreement. "This is a place that defies all laws of nature, powerful enough that it becomes dangerous, the energy it contains being able to ripple the veil of our reality, maybe even tearing it." She looked at Leona, "Don't go too far."

Leona grabbed her hand, "Wasn't planning on it."

Diana squeezed her hand. With her newfound strength, "Let's move." She said.

So they walked until they were at the center of the peak.

A light started shining right in front of them, floating in the air.

Diana felt Leona squeeze her hand even harder.

Despite the blinding light forcing them to narrow their eyes, they swore they could see two figures; one with short hair, slightly taller, one with long hair, slightly smaller—

The light became too bright, engulfing them in a wave of white—

Shutting their eyes closed, Diana and Leona quickly found each other, embracing if only to protect themselves for that which they could not see.

Giving themselves up to the unknown.

* * *

Moments passed. They did not dare open their eyes.

The remained still.

Then,

"Come on, darling, I'm sure it's all just in your mind."

Leona recognized that voice.

Diana did, too.

Leona had heard it for a long time before Diana even knew about it, though.

"Edlyn…?" She mumbled, still getting used to knowing that voice's owner's name, but forcing herself to adapt to the newfound information nonetheless.

They slowly opened their eyes.

The first thing they both saw was each other in a proximity that was now strange to them, while it was desired in the past.

The second thing, was a bedroom. A quite big, fancy bedroom.

Diana noticed how Leona's eyes landed somewhere over her shoulder and her grip tensed, so, carefully releasing the other woman, she turned around.

She came almost face to face with a very alive version of Edlyn.

_It can't be._

_Can it?_

She asked into her head.

Nobody answered.

She was shocked to realize that, for the first time since becoming the Chosen of the Moon, she felt completely alone in her mind.

She  _was_ alone in her mind.

_Short auburn hair, golden eyes, built body and elegant accent._

_It's Edlyn._

"I don't know, Edlyn." They heard another voice answer, confirming their suspicions. "I'm not so sure, this time. That's what worries me."

Diana's eyes widened.

_That's—_

The previous Chosen of the Sun moved forwards and, before the actual Chosens could react, she walked  _through_ them.

It made Leona jump.

It made Diana yelp.

They moved to a side and the whole scenario came to view.

Longer hair than Edlyn's, shorter than Diana's.

Silver hair. Silver eyes. Slender figure.

Freljordan accent.

Skadi was sitting by a desk that was placed to the side of a king sized bed, reading some scrolls, apparently analyzing them. A frown was etched upon her pretty features. A loose, white shirt was the only piece of clothing that covered her body.

Behind her, Edlyn was approaching her, her moves slow and smooth, flowing in one long motion as she draped her arms over the chair around the other woman's neck, her hands strategically resting on her chest, the Solar warrior craning her neck so as to brush her lips against pale skin, near the Lunar warrior's jaw, bandages around her chest keeping her breasts locked in place, leather, armor-like pants and boots on her lower body, sweat coating mostly her back. Forgotten near the bedroom's entrance, a double edged battle axe. It seemed she had been training under the Sun's light.

"You need to relax." Edlyn said in a low voice. "I have a few ideas on mind." Her fingers started looking for skin, expertly unbuttoning the other woman's shirt and snaking between the folds. "Would you like to hear them?"

Skadi sighed, leaning back against her but still stressed. "This is not something that you can fix by locking us up in this room, my sunshine." Then, something crossed her mind, "Nor by locking us up anywhere else." Then she smirked, "Nor by  _not_ locking us up, before you get risky ideas."

Edlyn sighed, her head hanging with a faked defeat, a playful smirk on her lips. "And here I was, hoping I'd fool you into letting me love you once more."

"You can fool me a million times. Now, a million  _and one?"_ Skadi clicked her tongue. "No, ma'am."

But then, in one quick, swift motion, the auburn haired woman swung her leg over Skadi's and ended up straddling her, hands still on that flimsy shirt, her counterpart managing to look both surprised and not at all.

"Come on," Edlyn said, playfully, her lips moving towards her exposed neck. "Did I ever tell you how badly I love it when you wear my clothes? It drives me  _insane."_

Despite the smile on her face, Skadi pushed her away, the woman's back hitting the desk. "I'm being  _serious_ over here, sunshine."

"I'm being  _serious,_ too, moonlight!" Edlyn said, that confident, predatory look of hers vanishing to display pure confusion. "We're finally being given a break, everything's  _perfect!_ I can't see the problem here."

" _Exactly."_  Skadi said, elongating the word, her worry looking more like  _fear. "_ You  _can't_ see a problem. That right there is the issue."

Now Edlyn looked completely lost. "Wait." She said, a deep frown on her face, her head lolling to a side as she settled her weight on Skadi's legs. "Explain."

The silver haired woman's hands went to the other woman's thighs, fidgeting with the clothing that covered them. "You and I, we were chosen because of how we resonate with our Celestial bodies. You with the Sun, me with the Moon. Right?" She questioned, watching Edlyn as she nodded once, then continued, "But  _what_ were we chosen for? What must we do in this world?"

Edlyn glared at her, though there was no anger against her lover. "Am I really supposed to answer that?" She asked her. Upon seeing Skadi nod, a completely serious look on her face, she sighed and answered, reciting it as if she were reading it from a textbook, "We were chosen to be the Aspects of both the Sun and the Moon; to represent them and their will on this realm. We are in charge of protecting the balance of all things on all of Runeterra; life and death, light and darkness, peace and war, etcetera, etcetera, because one cannot exist without the other, thus breaking this precious balance we seek and defend. Apart from being the keepers of this balance, we are also in charge of protecting Mount Targon and the powers hidden on its' summit from  _anyone_ who dares seek it; mortal, celestial or from beyond the veil of our realm, because if someone were to abuse those powers, they could break the balance. Forever." She raised a brow, "Did I guess correctly?"

Skadi nodded, ignoring the taunting tone. "And what did you mention just now?"

Edlyn narrowed her eyes, somewhat lost, "That we're doing fine?"

"That we're doing  _perfect!"_ Skadi said, raising her voice a little bit, heated up by the discourse. "Think about it, Edlyn! Everything's  _perfect._ It's been like this for, what? A few months, already?" She asked her, standing up in one motion, making Edlyn fall against the desk. The silver haired woman walked around the room, pacing, as she talked, "A whole month without creatures from the Void trying to sneak into this world, without the ghosts from the Shadow Isles trying to creep out of their lands, without even those Darkins bothering, Azir's return being enough to guide other Ascended away from that path of corruption…" She sighed, her hand going to her face for a moment, "Even our own kind are behaving properly! Humans are not having conflicts of any kind!" She looked at Edlyn with desperation on her expression. "Everything, absolutely  _everything_ is right with the world!"

Edlyn moved closer to her, "It is—"

"But don't you see what that means?" Skadi questioned. "It means the balance is tipped." She said, trying to reason with her lover. "For the first time in forever, it's tipped to the better side, no chaos whatsoever threatening our lands, but it's still tipped." She shook her head, "We can't allow this to happen."

"If there's something I've learned from my time being just a human," Edlyn began, getting even closer to Skadi. "And you remember I was nothing but a street rat, juggling axes and other risky objects to make a living," She remembered, getting tired just by thinking about it. "It's that, whenever something's too good to be true, it's mostly because either it isn't or because something bad enough to compensate will happen soon." She chuckled at her own words and the sense of doom they carried with them, "What I'm trying to say is that I'm sure things will go back to normal soon. In the meantime, we should enjoy our freedom."

Skadi shook her head. "I'm afraid the bad things to happen and even out the good ones might be catastrophic enough that we might not be good enough to fix them. A whiplash effect of sorts."

Edlyn frowned, her arms going to Skadi's waist, "What are you thinking of?"

Skadi snaked her arms around the warrior's neck. "I've been reading about this one…  _organization."_ Upon being met with silence by Edlyn, she finally said its' name. " _The Black Rose."_

Edlyn scoffed, pulling away enough to look at Skadi in the eye. "The illusionists?"

"They're more than just that, Edlyn."

"Yeah, they're a  _myth."_

"No," Skadi said, pulling away completely. "They're constantly looking to break order and turn it into an irreversible chaos and this  _unnatural_ order we've fallen into is definitely going to lure one of them here—"

"Skadi, are you  _listening_ to yourself?" Edlyn asked with an incredulous look on her face. "You sound like you've completely lost your mind!"

She shook off the insult. "Edlyn—"

" _No._ " Edlyn sentenced. "I won't hear another word about this nonsense." She said, her eyes hot on Skadi's.

It made the silver haired woman mad with anger. "You want  _my madness_  to be over? Fine." She said, before summoning the Chosen of the Moon's armor over her body. "You won't hear another word about it for a while."

Edlyn realized the mistake she had made and started to move, rushing towards her lover, "Wait, Skadi—"

But it was already too late, the Aspect of the Moon having disappeared through the window in a rush of lunar light.

Edlyn stared after her, a sigh escaping her body.

Angrily, she picked up her axe, opened the door to their bedroom and left the room, banging the door behind her.

The door's handle left molten.

Diana and Leona stared for a brief second.

"That was—" Leona didn't know what to say. "Those two were—"

"Edlyn and Skadi." Diana finished for her, "I think we're visiting the past." She said, trying to make sense of what was going on.

Leona thought about it. "They can't see nor touch us." She mused out loud. "I think we're  _watching_ the past, rather than visiting it." She said and Diana nodded.

Then the scenario started to vanish, making them seek each other, until they were left in a vast darkness, both of them being able to see each other, but nothing else.

Before they could think too much about it, though, they were again taken into another, different scenario; Inside the lands of the Rakkor, a big Lunar Temple stood underneath the moonlit sky, with Skadi standing by its' entrance, two large groups of people to each side of her.

Leona's blood drained from her face as she saw the attire the Chosen of the Moon was wearing; blood red robes covering her body, kept in place by a black belt, a red and white demon mask on her head, her face uncovered, her khopesh on her back, tainted a deep crimson, too, just like her hands.

Dressed exactly like Diana in that one dream.

To Skadi's left, a battalion of men and women, all dressed in a similar fashion to hers, sporting a blade like Diana's on their backs and different kinds of weapons all over them, like bows, knives, blades… All of which shared one aspect in common; those were the typical tools of fighters who liked to remain hidden, using their stealth to their advantage.

_Assassins._

To her right, people dressed in full white, taking a knee, their heads bowed.

_Aspiring assasins, I guess?_

They watched as Skadi closed her eyes and faced the sky.

Leona looked up.

Her feet suddenly became shaky at the sight of a full, blood moon.

"We're gathered here, under our Mistress' light, to welcome new Servants of the Blood Moon into our ranks." Skadi said with a strong voice as cold as Freljord's winter.

"Servants of the Blood Moon?" Leona mumbled in question, watching as Skadi continued talking.

"I've read about them many times, the last one being a couple of days ago." Diana commented, her eyes on Skadi, Leona's on her. "In the time of the Empyreans the Rakkor dedicated their lives to our religion. Those of intellectual prowess would serve both the Sun and the Moon as scholars and priests, but those honed for fighting would have to choose who they'd follow into the battlefield; the Sun  _or_ the Moon. Sure," Diana eyed Leona. "They'd still praise both, but they'd be under the orders of only one of them. Those who sought to become their strongest selves, fighting on the vanguard, protecting those behind them, were the Servants of the Sun; the  _Ra-Horak._ "

"Seems the Ra-Horak lost their ways as time passed," Leona blurted out mostly due to her surprise, earning a curious look from Diana. "I mean, now they're all bloodthirsty."

"Except for you," Diana said, a raised brow.

"And that's why I was Chosen."

Diana nodded, then continued as Skadi moved around the aspirants, welcoming a few of them into the other side with those dressed in red, by staining their white robes with her red hands. "Those who sought to fight their targets quickly, silently and efficiently, taking them out with the use of their stealth, were the Servants of the Moon but, since the ritual of initiation was always carried under the a full, red moon, they were known as  _Servants of the Blood Moon."_

"Their ritual is as bloody as the Rite of Kor." Leona said with a grimace.

"That's just red ink." Diana stated. "And the Rite of Kor they performed to welcome more Ra-Horak into their ranks was as harmless as this one."

 _Oh._ "I see." Leona said, her eyes locked on Skadi's swaying figure. Then, something popped into her brain. "What about those without any brains or brawn?"

Diana shrugged. "Just followers, still protected by those who they followed."

They stopped talking as Skadi announced the ceremony to be over, those new Bloodmoon assassins being welcomed by their shield brothers and sisters with loud cheering and chanting.

A few remained on the white side, though.

"Those of you who haven't made it in yet," Skadi said, addressing them. "Keep on trying. You'll be in when you're ready."

All of the ones dressed in white got up and bowed, thanking Skadi for her time and leaving for the night.

All, except one.

"This can't be right." The man said.

It made Diana frown.

"He sounded  _just_ like Eos."

It took Leona by surprise. "Like  _Eos?_ Diana, I know he's old, but not  _that_ old."

The Lunari smacked her in the arm, glaring at her, silently ordering her to stop playing around. "Look at him."

So they did.

A man, taller than Skadi, his body falling on the skinny, even lanky side. Dark hair, dark eyes.

And Maybe Leona couldn't see it, but Diana could; the same expression of pure  _hatred_ that Eos usually has.

"What do you mean,  _it can't be right,_ Acolyte Ayden?" Skadi asked, clearly irritated.

"This is the  _third_ time I take this trial and this is the  _third_ time I fail!" The man howled, his face red with fury. "It's been already a year since I started trying and I'm not in, how can that be?!"

Leona whistled. "Okay, he  _does_ sound like Eos when he's mad."

"Must be an ancestor of sorts."

Skadi sighed, rubbing her temples with her thumb and index finger. "Ayden, I've told you many times; you should train more and try to apply on the  _following_ ceremony, not on the one that comes right after the one you fail." She looked at him with disappointment, not at his failure but at his behavior. "You only get five tries and you've already wasted three, all because you don't listen to what  _I_ advice you to do." She cocked her hips to a side, looking at him with a frown and her arms crossed right in front of her. "How am I supposed to believe you can follow  _my_ orders on a mission if you can't even follow some advice meant to aid yourself, to fulfill your own desires?"

Leona nodded. "She has a strong point there." She looked at Diana, who was looking back. "A soldier who can't follow orders is not a soldier; that's a potential murderer. He might use his abilities for his own benefit, something a warrior would, and  _should,_ never do." She said as they heard Skadi saying something along the lines of  _Maybe you should try with something else, a role more aligned with your abilities..._

"I'm sick and tired of trying and trying for no reason, there's no  _point!"_ The man roared right in front of Skadi's face, some of his saliva sprinkling her, interrupting her.

"He's as stupid and arrogant as Eos himself." Diana heard herself saying, pointedly ignoring the shifting Leona.

She closed her eyes and wiped her face. "And still, you refuse to listen." Skadi opened her eyes. "Very well. I've made a decision."

Ayden looked at her with surprise, "Really?" He said, a cocky smile creeping up her lips. "What have you decided?"

A muscle on Skadi's jaw feathered. "I've decided to  _ban_ you from  _ever_ trying to get into the Bloodmoon again!" She roared, making everyone behind her turn to look at them. "You are forbidden from attempting this trial, now and for the  _rest_ of your  _damned life!"_ She shouted at him, looking bigger than Ayden despite the height difference. "Now leave before I carry your soul, hand in hand, onto the  _afterlife!"_

The night fell silent.

Ayden stared at Skadi.

" _Go!"_ She roared once more.

And thus the man turned to leave, but not without looking at her over his shoulder with an expression filled with poison, saying, "You'll regret shouting at me like that."

"Why don't we bet on it?" Skadi questioned with venom on her tone.

And then he walked away.

And the scenery changed.

They were in the bedroom once more.

Skadi was there, dressed in a simple robe, looking worried.

A knock on the door made her stand up and go to open it.

"Edlyn," She said.

"Yeah,  _Edlyn."_ The  _Radiant Dawn_ repeated, brushing past her to walk into their bedroom. "What do you want?" She said, not even looking at Skadi as she took off the iron armor with which she trained.

Skadi sighed. "Are you still upset about me leaving after  _you_ called  _me_ crazy?"

Edlyn turned to look at her, "When you put it that way, you make it sound as if  _I_ were the one wrong."

"You made fun of me for telling you about what worries me." Skadi replied, making Edlyn feel uncomfortable. "It's already been  _half a month_ since that and you're still hurt about it, while I'm over it. Can you stop, please?"

Edlyn looked away.

Skadi would have none of it.

Approaching the warrior, she hugged her, trapping her with her arms.

"Let me go."

"No until you stop."

"Skadi, let me go."

"No until you stop."

"Skadi—"

"No."

Minutes passed.

Edlyn returned the hug.

"I'm sorry."

Skadi smiled. "I forgive you."

They pulled away a bit, but Edlyn refused to move too far away, resting her forehead against the silver haired woman's, "What did you need that you sent for me?"

"I just banned Ayden from attempting to get into the Bloodmoon."

Edlyn frowned. "What?"

Skadi pulled away a little bit. "I had enough of him. He snapped at me for not letting him in so I snapped back and banned him." At the sight of Edlyn's shocked look, she tried to explain herself, "He's just not ready—"

But Edlyn laughed, the sound loud and rich, her chest vibrating with it. "He fucking had it coming. Finally, moonlight." She raised a brow. "That's what bothers you? A fucking bastard getting what he deserved?"

"I don't know," Skadi replied, looking away. "I feel like I maybe went too hard on him."

"No, you didn't." Leona blurted out.

"No, you didn't." Edlyn echoed, "It will be fine, my love."

Diana looked at Leona. "I'm a bit… surprised—"

"Me too. Shut up." Leona cut her off, feeling uncomfortable for how similar to Edlyn she actually was.

And, as their ancestors hugged once more, they faded to black.

"I don't understand why we're seeing all of this." Diana finally confessed.

Leona thought about it for a minute. "Me neither, Di, but if they're showing all of this to us, then it must mean it's important. Stuff that isn't on any history book and that we must know."

" _Let down by the Moon, again."_

Diana and Leona looked at each other.

"Did you—"

"Yeah, I heard that too."

" _All because she can't see your potential."_

A feminine voice, cast into the darkness of a memory they couldn't see, for it didn't belong to either of them.

" _Reduced to the laughing stock of your people."_

Knowledge acquired in the afterlife, once all cards had been played.

" _Wouldn't you like the power to make them all see? To make them all listen?"_

"I would."

Diana looked at Leona. "Ayden's voice."

" _Wouldn't you like the ability to persuade anyone to do your will?"_

"I would."

" _It wouldn't work easily with Celestials, but if you break their will, then you can bend them to yours. Wouldn't you like that, to bend them all to your will?"_

They could hear the smile on Ayden's voice as he said, "I would." He seemed to be accompanied by a woman, for he replied. "What's your price, sorceress?"

Something in the air suddenly made both Diana and Leona feel sick.

" _Use my gift wisely to make sure no one ever again questions you. Make them all follow you and those who won't listen, kill them. Turn this whole place upside down and I promise even your heirs will inherit this gift."_

Diana looked at Leona and saw the words on her lips before she even heard them,  _order into chaos._

And then, she heard Ayden.

"You've got a deal."

So the darkness turned into a new scenario.

The lands around Mount Targon, where the Rakkor lived, turned into a bloodbath.

Scholars and Priests killing each other, those of them who were crazy with bloodlust slaughtering those who did not understand what was going on.

The Ra-Horak advancing on the people who opposed them.

Pursuing the Bloodmoon.

Warriors against assassins, the Servants of the Moon would merely stand a chance if they fought their counterparts as the Sun warriors had been trained to, so they followed their own training, staying away and landing precise strikes.

They repelled them as much as they could.

Eventually the warriors of the Sun defeated them, though.

Edlyn, having just arrived from a foreign city, having served as a mediator between fighting clans, ran around the streets, confused, trying to make her soldiers listen, but they paid her no mind.

She found one Bloodmoon, still alive.

Skadi's right hand.

She kneeled next to him, "What in the  _Void_ is going on?!  _Where's Skadi?!_ "

He shook his head, all the answer he could muster up. Then, he mumbled, " _Moon Temple."_

Without wasting time, Edlyn ran desperately towards her lover.

Meanwhile, Skadi was confronted by a group of Ra-Horak, confused as to what was going on for they had Ayden hostage, a blade to his neck. "Leave him alone before you're all punished for this." She warned, not wishing to harm them, but feeling like she had no other choice.

"Your wish is our command,  _Chosen of the Moon."_ One of those soldiers said, so they pushed him forwards, the man falling on his knees right in front of Skadi.

Naturally wishing to help, she kneeled, trying to help him up.

She frowned at the lack of real wounds on him.

But before she could try and take a guess at what was going on, she felt his blade.

Going through her chest.

"They say that a strike through the heart is lethal for you,  _freaks."_ He whispered as he took the knife out of her body. "But just to make sure…"

And then, he slit her throat.

Skadi fell to the ground.

"Let's go." He commanded.

Everyone obeyed.

Minutes passed until Edlyn finally reached the Temple.

And Diana and Leona saw it all happen slowly, as if time had stopped.

Edlyn entered the building, calling for her lover.

Upon seeing her on the ground, she rushed to her side.

Falling to her knees, she tried to heal her, use what little she could of her powers to keep her in the realm of the living, but the deed had been done.

She could only watch as Skadi's eyes went from silver back to their original light blue, her hair turning blonde again.

The Chosen of the Moon wasn't no more.

Shutting her own eyes closed, Edlyn cried, the screams of pain tearing both Diana and Leona's souls apart.

Time passed and they watched as Edlyn cried her emotions out until there were no more tears left in her.

Then time moved fast.

They watched as Edlyn picked Skadi's body up gently and walked outside.

She moved towards the base of Mount Targon.

In a matter of a few hours, she climbed all the way to the top.

She kneeled on the ground and laid her lover's body on it, too.

"My Goddesses!" She shouted, "Hear my call and come to me, for I need your aid!"

Diana and Leona watched as two ethereal figures appeared, standing right in front of her.

"The Aspects that came before them, right?" Leona murmured, making Diana nod.

The Moon kneeled in front of Edlyn, tears on her eyes as she regarded Skadi's body. " _ **My sweet Skadi…"**_

" _ **What have you called us for?"**_ The Sun asked Edlyn, fury in her eyes.

"Mortals have killed my lover, the Aspect of the Moon." Edlyn said, tears on her eyes as she watched Skadi. "This crime shall not be forgiven, but repaid; blood demands blood." She looked up at her Goddesses, "I ask for you to give me the powers of the Moon, too, so I'm able to carry out my vengeance."

Leona shook her head. "She's not seeking justice, she's seeking revenge."

"Quiet," Diana said, completely focused. "I'm listening."

The previous Aspects looked at each other, a look of worry on their faces.

The Aspect of the Sun talked first. " _ **The power of the Sun and the power of the Moon are not to be held by the same person; that would turn the bearer into the**_ **Chosen of the Eclipse,** _ **which is not a possible thing, for the Ecplise lasts only so long…"**_

" _ **The life of that one who becomes the Aspect of the Ecplise is set to last as much as the phenomenon."**_ The Moon concluded. " _ **Such power is a direct offense to the balance of this world."**_

"But what balance is there to keep if the Aspect of the Moon has been murdered?" Edlyn tried to reason. "What balance am I to keep if there's no one to be my counterpart, the darkness to my light, the death to my life? Our people turned their backs on us, specifically on Skadi, so not only is there no one there ready to fit her role, it would also be dangerous to call on someone to take her mantle." She shook her head. "The balance has been broken and I've lost the will to protect it." She looked at them with fury in her eyes. "I might as well be executed, too, for that matter."

The ghostly apparitions looked at each other and discussed the matter.

Because what was there left to lose? If all had already been lost.

What was a bit more of chaos to what had already been done?

Then a final question came.

" _ **Edlyn, taking the place that you're asking for means certain death. Are you sure you're willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of revenge?"**_

"My Mistresses," Edlyn began, looking at Skadi's face, trying to ignore the gash on her neck. "Skadi was a side of me; the gentleness, kindness, mercy I had. With her gone, I'm left with nothing but hatred and violence. This is no way to live." She looked at the ethereal beings, "I'd rather die than live a life of hate, but I'd rather take those who've done this with me than go peacefully."

Sharing a long look, the Goddesses reached a conclusion. " _ **Edlyn, Chosen of the Sun, you're to take the powers of the Chosen of the Moon with you, but bear in mind that both the Sun and the Moon can't coexist in the sky for too long. Your life will last as long as the Eclipse does."**_

"I understand," She said, then looked at the previous Aspect of the Moon, expecting her to give her the power.

" _ **You're to take the power from the**_ **last** _ **Aspect of the Moon. She's right behind you."**_

So Edlyn stood up and turned around, her eyes full of tears as she saw Skadi, barely visible, standing in front of her.

With a kiss, her powers were granted.

Then, Diana and Leona watched it all happen in snapshots.

A warrior with lighter hair than Edlyn but darker eyes made her way throughout the Rakkor lands, her black armor stained with the blood of all of those who had participated in the bloodshed.

She entered Ayden's house, the man carrying his baby in a poor attempt to make Edlyn spare him.

The warrior slaughtered him.

She looked at his baby.

She considered killing him, too.

But she lacked the heart to kill such an innocent being.

Once she was done, she wandered back to Mount Targon, trying to climb back up.

The Eclipse finished as she hit her final step.

Her body fell alongside her lover's.

Then, it all faded to black.

Diana had tears on her eyes.

Leona too.

"So," Leona started, clearing her throat, "So that's what happened…"

But she couldn't finish the sentence, for another memory appeared in front of them.

This one being all too familiar for Diana.

"Have you lost your  _mind,_ Acolyte?!" Elder Lye was asking a slightly younger Diana, with black hair and blue eyes.

Leona frowned. "What is this?"

"This is the truth; Solari and Lunari were brothers and sisters, children of two deities in love, before something split us in two!" That Diana said, proud of her words.

Now they knew what— who had split them in two.

"Diana," Sekhet had tried, that day. "You're being delusional."

"This is all what happened before I reached the Temple, isn't it?" Leona asked  _her_ Diana, her eyes never leaving the one right in front of her, who kept defending her point of view, though she occasionally stole glances at a very alive Commander Khait.

Diana gulped, coming closer to Leona, watching herself tell them all that they were afraid of the truth. "Yes. It's  _that_ day."

The past version of her suddenly snapped, "You're all being blind!" She roared, "Blind to the veil that covers your eyes-"

" _Enough!"_ Eos had screamed back. "Guards! Seize her up!"

So now, they watched it all unfold.

Diana from a different perspective.

Leona, for the first time in her life.

They watched as Khait tried to intervene.

As Eos commanded they stopped him, too.

Leona fell to her knees when she saw Diana warn Khait, Eos slit his throat.

They watched as Sekhet and Akins were taken prisoners, out of Eos' command.

"He had said you had killed them…"

Diana ignored the warrior's mumbling, for she didn't know what to respond.

Eos approached the dark haired Diana with a branding iron.

"Praise the Moon, motherfucker." Leona heard her Diana say, making her turn her head to look at her with confusion.

Then, she heard it.

"Praise the  _Moon,_ motherfucker." The young Diana said.

And that branding iron landed on her forehead.

Leona stared at the scene with big eyes, while Diana had to look away.

Then, Leona saw how Diana turned into the Chosen of the Moon.

Not knowing her powers, she accidentally killed a few of them.

Fearing herself and not knowing what to do, she ran away while the Moon was high in the sky.

Then the scene faded to black.

Leona shook her head, getting back on her feet as she moved towards the other woman, "Diana—"

But she was cut off short by another scene appearing in front of them.

A cabin by the woods.

This time, it was Leona who knew the memory all too well.

"This is my old house." Diana said, a frown on her face. She looked at Leona.

She didn't look back.

Diana the turned around at the sound of heavy footsteps and saw Leona, Radiant Dawn's armor on, walking alone towards the house.

Marcus opened the door at the sound.

The memory's Leona looked  _uncomfortable._ "May I come in?" She asked him.

"Do I have another choice?" He asked back.

"Not really."

So Marcus moved to a side, letting her in.

They sat down by his small dining table, the man offering Leona a cup of tea, which she gently turned down.

"So, you're finally here." He began. "I knew it was you before opening the door."

"How did you know?" That Leona entertained him.

"Usually Diana is as quiet as a little mouse, so I don't hear her come close until she's knocking on the door." He commented fondly, taking a sip of his own tea.

"Marcus."

"Leona."

She looked troubled. "Do you know why I'm here?"

At such a question, Marcus decided Leona had time for him to finish his cup of tea, so he did so before answering. "Ever since I saw Diana with the Lunari symbol on her forehead I knew this day would come." He confessed, looking at her with bright eyes and a sad smile.

Then Leona was crying.

Marcus stood up and moved towards her, laying a hand on her back. "It's okay, girl. It's okay."

"I'm so sorry, Marcus."

"It's okay," He repeated.

She looked at him, face red and eyes puffy. "I don't want to do this, I really don't."

"But you have to," He finished for her.

She nodded. "But I must; I've been ordered to do it."

And those words spurred something inside Diana's mind, as if all pieces came together and it all made a tiny  _click_ as it did so.

Still, she remained quiet, as calm as possible, watching the one thing that had kept her up for nights on end happen right in front of her.

"It's okay," Marcus said once more. Then, he got morbidly curious. "How will it be? By sword?"

Leona shook her head and showed him a small flask with a purple liquid. "It's painless. It will feel like going to sleep." She explained.

Marcus huffed a laugh. "A long, long sleep." He sighed, "Very well, let me pour myself some more tea to mask that thing's flavor."

So Diana watched as he drank.

As Leona kept him company until he passed, crying.

As the Ra-Horak buried him and waited, crying.

And waited, crying one final bit.

And waited.

And then the night was upon them.

And Diana saw Leona do something rather unexpected.

She prayed.

To the Moon.

Feeling tears running down her cheeks, as the scene vanished to black, Diana turned to look at Leona.

She was on her knees, sobbing like a child.

"I've been so focused on how that kept me up at night, I never thought it kept you up, too." Diana said with a watery voice, slowly moving towards a shaking Leona.

"I didn't want to do it," She cried into her hands. "I hated myself for doing it."

"It's okay," Diana said, kneeling in front of her, wrapping her arms around her sobbing figure.

" _It's not!"_

"It  _is,_ Leo," She said, with a smile on her lips, despite it all. "Don't you see what happened?"

Leona took a peek at her from between her fingers.

"You were  _ordered_ to do it. By Eos, definitely." Diana searched her face. "He used that ability of his family on you; human beings and Celestials with a broken spirit. You were easily manipulable."

Leona thought about it for a minute. Then, she let out a watery chuckle. "Out of the two of us, you were always the one with the ability to think and act wisely under stress."

Diana laughed. "You're too emotional."

"I'm not letting you do that."

"Do what?"

"Take this one compliment I give you and turning it on me,  _insulting me like that."_ She said, a fake tone of hurt on her voice.

Diana laughed, "Times when you're weak are so rare… Let me do my thing." Then she stood up, offering Leona her hand.

Without hesitation, she took it, allowing the woman to lift her up.

As they stood, the darkness vanished and they were back in Mount Targon.

"Now we know the whole truth…" Diana mused out loud.

"We do," Leona said, then, "I'm so sorry, Diana, for all I've done."

The silver haired woman looked into golden eyes. "It's okay—"

"I'm not done." Leona cut her off. "I don't think you understand how much I regret my actions."

_Not believing you._

_Obeying him._

_Killing him._

_Hunting you._

_Being so stupid._

_Being so blind._

Diana offered her a sad smile. "Just how badly did you take it when I ran off, that day?"

Leona huffed a laugh. "I was a mess. My will was  _definitely_ broken."

"Then there you go." Diana said. "You're not to blame. If anything, it's Eos." And she saw Leona opening her mouth but, before she could say anything, she quieted her down by pressing her finger against her lips. "But still, no matter what you've done, what you were commanded to do, whether it was his or your fault, I forgive you, Leona."

The Ra-Horak let out a shuddering breath of relief at that.

So she crushed Diana in a hug.

"I needed to hear that." She pulled away just a little bit, her face too close to Diana's, "You know, I was afraid you had given up on me, since you never came back to your room after our talk."

"Give up on  _you?"_ Diana asked her, snorting at that. "Leo, I tried to enter that room at least twice a day until you came out." She admitted, trying not to laugh at her look of disbelief. "I was always stopped by Riven." A smirk snaked its' way to her lips as she saw her glare. "She told me you were  _going through the first step and you needed your time alone."_

"Well, she's not necessarily wrong." Leona confessed. "But still, I missed your presence."

Diana read more into that than Leona wanted her to. "Missed my—"

"Is Riven your lover?" Leona suddenly blurted out, knowing that she had been caught red handed.

It took Diana a minute to process it. "What—"

"Did you two have sex? Do you think of me? More importantly, is she better than me—"

" _Leona!"_  Diana said with a high pitched voice, blushing at the subject of Leona's inquiry. " _No!"_

"No? She's not better—"

" _No,_ I didn't fuck her!" Diana cut her off, flabbergasted. "By our Goddesses, what's with— Wait," She cut herself off, "Did you ask me if I think of you?"

Leona blushed, "I—"

They heard a banging sound coming from somewhere to their side.

They were shocked to see Riven, inside the Lunari Temple, banging on what probably was the Lunari Mirror with a look of desperation on her face.

" _Come on! I know you're in there! I can feel it!"_ She said from her side of the portal.

Then, she added something neither of them expected to hear.

" _We're under attack! We need you!"_

"No time for fooling around," Diana said, suddenly all-business. She looked at Leona, "Let's go."

So Leona nodded her head, a look of determination on her face, her hands already on the mirror. "Whenever you're ready."

Before touching it, though, Diana opened her mouth.

"I never stopped thinking about you, Leona." She confessed, quickly. "Having to fight you killed me on the inside, every time." She smiled, "You can't imagine the happiness I feel at knowing it's not like that, anymore."

And Leona wanted to respond, but it was already too late, for Diana was touching the glass.

So, just like before, they both went through the looking glass.

Into the bloodbath.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! SO, This chapter was long. Very long. And it was centered on Skadi and Edlyn who, we all know, are pretty much my own original characters.
> 
> I know OCs are not that well viewed in this uh business; you come here hoping to read about X and X and end up with Y and Y and I can totally get how it can get annoying. Problem is, the whole conflict of the story (which I had written like A YEAR ago) was written centered on what happened BEFORE diana and leona, so all I can say is I'm really REALLY sorry if y'all were expecting something else, but this far on the story I had nowhere else to go LMFAO.
> 
> That being said, I hope you actually enjoyed it though! I know I did while writing it.
> 
> Much love, Mili <3


	41. Chapter 41

The mirror warmed up underneath her skin, so Riven moved away from it, watching as Diana emerged from the Noxian's reflection, Leona by her side, almost falling to the ground.

Almost, for the silver haired woman had caught her by the wrist, "Got you," She let out.

Leona allowed herself to be brought back to her feet. "Got me, indeed." She responded with a smile.

"We  _really_ don't have time for you two to start flirting." Riven said, an already tired tone to her voice.

"Right," Leona said, not even bothering to excuse herself, her careless nature shining through.

"What's going on?" Diana asked Riven.

"There's a shitshow going on out there right now; Solari, Demacians, even  _Noxians,"_ She said and Diana could see the despair, the hopelessness in her eyes.

"What?" Diana asked.

"The Solari Lux helped us avoid," Leona said, looking at Diana. "They never died."

"Well, apparently they came back with  _friends,"_ Riven said, baring her teeth at the last word. "And friends of friends who pretty much enticed my  _former friends_ to come too!"

"Calm down, Riven." Diana tried.

But Riven would have none of it. "Irelia already accused me of treason at least thirteen times; I'm not sure if I counted right." She said, then sighed. "Ionians are fighting them all off, but they're succeeding only because the Noxians and the Demacians are pretty much focusing on each other." She looked at Leona, "The Solari are wrecking the place."

"Then we have no time to waste," Leona said, determined. "Let's kick them out."

Riven's eyes widened. She looked at Diana. "Just  _what_ happened on the other side of the mirror?"

"No time to talk," Diana said, releasing her hair from her ponytail as she summoned her armor, her Crescent Blade already on her free hand. "Let's go." She commanded, vanishing from the room in a strike of light.

"See you there, Sun bastard!" Riven called after her, running through the door.

"Wait!" Leona said, not wishing to be left behind, but she had no—

" _Leona,"_ She heard a quiet, yet urgent voice call her, making her turn around.

Fay was struggling with a battleaxe way too big for her. "We searched our armories and this was all we could find unused." She said, handing the weapon to the Ra-Horak, who lifted it with no problem at all. "I'm sorry if it's not good enough."

Leona weighed the axe on her hands.

_Double edged._

She smirked.

"It's perfect," She said, a wild smile on her face.

Then she ran outside, into the crack of dawn, into the battle.

* * *

Leona felt like she was back in the Ra-Horak camp.

Ionia was a complete mess; Noxians getting distracted by the Demacians and fighting them, neither party sure of why they were there, while the Solari tried to march towards the Lunari Temple, Ionians and Lunari Priests— Sporting those Bloodmoon robes, Leona now knew —keeping them at bay, fighting until they dropped dead.

She spotted Irelia fighting alongside Diana, barking at both her and Riven, who was helping them out, too.

Diana had way too many men of the Sun Guard surrounding her.

 _Her_ Sun Guard.

Leona put her right foot in front of her, her left one being behind. She gripped her axe with all of her strength and wound it up, bringing it above and behind her head and—

Diana saw as the man she was watching run towards her, ready to fight was suddenly brought down, a battle axe embedded into his chest.

Turning around, she saw Leona approach the fight, pulling the axe from the now dead Solari.

"Sorry I took so long," Leona said over her shoulder, watching the men and women who now stared at her with shock on their faces.

"I reckon they didn't have shields?" Diana said, a teasing smirk on her face as she breathed heavily.

Leona looked at her with a smile, "Not even a tiny one!"

"Radiant Dawn…?" A woman from the Sun Guard asked her, all fight apparently gone from her.

Leona looked at her, rather surprised that they hadn't expected her to fight alongside Diana, considering those Solari who saw her at Ionia's entrance.

_I guess Eos kept some information for himself. Wouldn't want to rescue a traitor._

"Yeah, soldier?" Leona asked her, resting that big axe on her shoulder.

" _Solari!"_ Irelia called her as she ran past her, "I'll take it you three have this one?" She asked, not caring for the response as she ran towards Noxians and Demacians, leaving the Solari in the hands of the two Celestials and the exiled Noxian.

Leona nodded at her, despite knowing she didn't really care what she'd respond with.

"Radiant Dawn," A guard began, approaching her slowly, making Leona follow him with her calculating eyes. "The  _Scorn—"_

"The  _Chosen."_  Leona corrected him with a growl. "The  _Chosen_ of the Moon, soldier." She said.

She saw that man's eyes dart towards something,  _someone,_ behind her.

Without a moment's hesitation, Leona pivoted and, as she did so, threw her axe without even looking.

She brought down a man who was approaching Diana from her back, knife ready in his hand.

"I've had enough of this." She said, looking at them all in the eyes as she walked towards her axe, placing her foot on the dead man's chest, struggling a bit to pull it from his skull. She returned to the center, all Solari eyes on her, "I've had enough of guiding you all through a path of lies and darkness. We do not need to fight!"

A few of her soldiers looked confused, as if they were trying to figure out what her words meant.

Most of them looked unsatisfied.

_The Night Demon plagued our Chosen's mind with lies!_

_She's been poisoned with a false light!_

_Leona's turned her back on the Sun!_

_She must follow the Scorn of the Moon to the grave!_

"But if you leave me no other choice…" She said as she smiled, despite the dark tone on her words. "I won't hesitate."

The Solari seemed nervous; the fight between both sides had stopped briefly, with only the other invaders fighting between them, Ionians trying to kick both of them out.

The Lunari kept their guard up.

"And  _that's_ the final warning." Leona said, glaring at them all, baring her teeth. "Drop your weapons and you'll be spared. Be stubborn and  _die."_

Diana saw it then.

She saw it on how she gritted her teeth, clenched her hands, moved her jaw, narrowed her eyes.

She was  _angry._ Furious at having been used by Eos, at having been lied to, at having been nothing but the favorite puppet of some sick, sick man.

And she knew her guard were just as poisoned by his words, knowing there was no way out but the one she offered; either they surrendered or they died.

She really hoped they'd listen.

The woman who had spoken first dropped her sword almost instantly.

Leona smiled at her.

"What are you doing?!" A man from the Sun Guard asked her.

Diana frowned. She recognized that voice.

_Who…?_

"Leona trained me and guided me throughout the process of becoming part of her Guard." She began, looking at her companions with a determination that seemed hard to shake. "She was both my mentor and my friend and she understood my pain, my lows, my days when I didn't even want to see the Sun outside." She looked at Leona. "I wouldn't want to see my Goddess, my faith shaking some days, but I'd always want to see my Leader. For that, for her understanding, I follow  _Leona_ wherever she may go." She looked at Diana, "If she's now allies with the one who turned to the Moon, then I trust her decision and give her a chance."

"You're a traitor!" That soldier with the deep voice roared again.

 _Then_ it clicked.

"You placed  _Armin_ in your Sun Guard?" Diana asked Leona, flabbergasted. "He's pathetic! I beat his ass and I wasn't even Chosen yet!"

Leona shrugged, ignoring Armin's loud complaining. "A few things happened once Khait died." She simply stated.

Diana knew it was probably Eos' doing.

The first surrender soldier made her way towards the two of them, slowly, so as not to alarm them.

They heard a few others drop their weapons, with swords, maces, axes, even spears and bows, falling to the ground.

Diana felt like she could cry as she watched that girl come to them, certain of her choice.

But nothing ever was that easy.

She saw a man ran towards the woman who had spoken, a knife ready on his hand.

In a split second, Diana was right there between him and her, Crescent Blade through his chest.

He fell to the ground with a thud.

The fighting started all over again.

"I'll help the free handed!" Diana roared at Leona, not even looking at the Ra-Horak as she nodded and went to help -riven and the Lunari fight the Solari offi.

" _Leave your weapons on the floor!"_ Diana ordered at those who had followed Leona into her side, knowing very well that she wouldn't be able to tell them apart if they picked them up once more.

Having a quick idea, she slashed her hand open and stained the woman's face with her blood, "Join the fight," She breathed out, watching as the now marked Solari picked up her sword and joined Leona.

As she dashed towards the rest, protecting them from incoming attacks, quickly marking their faces with her blood, letting them rejoin the battle once she had stained them, she kept an eye on Leona, hoping she'd understand what she was doing.

Leona smirked at those who followed her, "Glad to have you," she quickly let out, before keeping up with those who now wanted her dead.

She knew what Diana was doing.

_Staining them with red, like Skadi with the Bloodmoon._

She dodged a mace that was directed to her face and cut her opponent's arm with one precise slash.

_What a clever girl._

_**Isn't she?** _

She was so taken aback by her ancestor's voice that she almost got killed, but she managed to dodge in time, rolling backwards before throwing her axe, "It was high time you showed up!" She said, feeling a wave of relief wash over her, for she had been taken back by her Goddess.

_**You're pretty good at throwing that old thing.** _

She could sense the pride on Edlyn's voice, yet there was a challenge hidden on her tone, too, for she was using  _her_ weapon instead of a shield, something Leona would prefer over anything else.

_Thank you, you weren't so bad yourself._

_**Don't get cocky.** _

Edlyn was able to guide her once more, but it didn't mean she had earned her trust back just yet.

That was something Leona noticed as she saw the Sun in the horizon, dawn already in the sky, its' shine  _blinding_ her still.

Not as aggressively as it would before, for it didn't hurt her eyes no more, but she still had to narrow them a bit.

Her power wasn't back yet.

Feeling already at her limit, her body slowly giving up on her, she decided she needed it, urgently.

Fighting them off, protecting those with a handprint on their faces, Leona was at a loss of what was needed of her.

"I've done it; I've returned to the light," She muttered as she rolled forwards, going under a sword slash, pivoting on her feet as she got up, beheading another enemy. "What else do I have to do for you to give me back the Sun's powers?"

_**Prove it.** _

_Are you kidding me?_

_**No.** _

And, judging by Edlyn's tone, her desicion was final.

Leona kept fighting, not sure of what  _proving it_ could mean.

Three Solari were running towards her.

She felt Riven coming for her, too.

She heard the Noxian bark a command, " _Duck,"_

Leona instinctively did so.

Riven took a step on her back and jumped high in the air, out of reach for her opponents, but close enough for  _her_ range.

Releasing a wave of energy, she stunned them all into confusion.

Leona stood up after that, twirling with her axe extended, slashing their arms and chests, making them fall to the ground due to the pain.

"Not bad, Sunny day," Riven called, a taunting smirk on her lips. "Let's keep it moving!"

So keep it moving they did.

Leona and Riven were fighting the Solari off, trying to  _persuade_ them to stay down and surrender.

Diana, on the other hand, was protecting the Lunari and those marked Solari from any deadly blows, keeping herself in check, trying not to kill anyone.

Bast, as he fought alongside her, a small axe in one hand, a short sword in the other, knew it was because she was trying to prove something.

She was trying to prove to her  _new_ allies that she was to be trusted just as much as Leona.

It was admirable, he decided.

Admirable, but dangerous under the circumstances they were in.

"You should have fucking died in my Rite of Kor, you  _freak."_

Diana couldn't contain the groan that escaped her throat as she readied her Crescent Blade, seizing her opponent up. "It's been  _years,_ Armin. Get over it." She responded to his taunt.

He let out a battle cry as he swung his mace at her, which Diana evaded efficiently, before punching him on the gut.

Her punch did nothing though, for he saw it coming and exhaled on time, not letting her knock the wind out of him.

"Nice try," He said, a vicious smile on his lips.

"You know," Diana began as she twirled her khopesh, getting ready for whatever he'd attempt. "I regret leaving you alive that day." She shrugged, "Not like it would change anything today, but there'd be one less annoying brat in this world."

He took the bait.

Letting out a battle cry, he lunged for Diana.

She waited until he got as close as possible and ducked, then delivered an uppercut to his chin, making him take a step backwards.

She then let go of her blade and took a hold of his mace, headbutting him so as to make him release it.

Diana threw it away from them, the weapon landing somewhere behind the Solari.

Punch after punch, Diana kept going, making him give ground up.

Punnch after punch, Armin kept trying to get her, the Chosen of the Moon being far too agile, dodging him every time.

She landed a jab and a cross.

He tried to get her with a hook.

Seeing the mace already at his feet, Diana ducked and pivoted to his swinging arm's side, bringing her other leg up in a spinning kick.

He fell backwards to the ground.

She stood over him, watching as he got behind his mace, its' hilt up, his face hidden behind it and underneath his hands.

He was surrendering.

"We do not need to fight," Diana said, despite not liking the man, "It doesn't have to go that way, Armin."

He shook his head, mumbling something impossible to hear.

Diana got closer, frowning at him but still offering him her hand. "Come on." She said, hoping to convince him.

A few feet away from her, Leona saw an archer taking aim and, as she had been doing all throughout the battle, she aimed her axe at him and threw.

Bullseye.

But what had he been aiming at?

She turned and saw Diana, Armin by his feet, his hands on his mace, its' head on the ground, it's hilt up.

 _Wait a minute._ She frowned at the situation.

Her eyes landed on the hilt.

It was uncannily  _sharp._

It reminded her of something horrible that had happened a long, long time ago.

" _Diana!_ " She roared as she ran towards her.

She saw Diana look at her, losing sight of Armin.

Leona was closer now.

He knew he was not being watched.

She was a few steps away.

Armin used his legs to impulse himself upwards.

Time was up.

So Leona did the one thing she had promised Diana she'd always do.

Putting herself between Diana and Armin, she protected the  _moonaddled Solari._

By sacrificing herself.

The sound of flesh being ripped apart was the only thing that could be heard all throughout the battlefield as his mace's hilt tore its' way into Leona's back, coming out through her abdomen, barely missing her spine.

Diana's eyes went from that bloody hilt to Leona's eyes, her hands not knowing what to do with themselves, anchoring themselves on the auburn haired woman's back.

No one made a sound, battle completely halted around them.

Even Armin had frozen in place.

"Leona," Diana let out in a quiet, desperate whisper.

Then the soldier snapped out of it, pulling his mace out and crawling backwards, taking a look at his handiwork; a gaping hole on Leona's lower back.

Without him keeping her up, still looking into Diana's terrorized eyes, Leona felt her legs giving up on her.

"No, no, no," The silver haired woman let out like a mantra as she followed Leona to the ground, easing her landing.

"Ouch," Leona finally said as she took a quick peek at her own stomach. Looking into Diana's eyes once more, she offered a small smirk, "That's going to hurt tomorrow."

" _Leona,"_ Diana tried once more and  _that_ alone could have killed the Chosen of the Sun, for Diana was  _crying._

"It will be okay," Leona attempted to say, her voice already lower.

Diana shook her head, her desperation evident on the tremble of her hands, on the tears of her eyes, on the expression of despair she wore. "No, no, no," She repeated, "No, I can heal you, I can try and—" She cut herself off by placing one of her hands on Leona's wound, trying to channel her power into it.

She let out a desperate cry, though, her powers did not properly respond, doing nothing to actually help Leona, for they had been abused during the battle and there was no moonlight to replenish them.

Defeated, Diana cried into Leona's chest.

"Hey," Leona tried again, "Look at me," She said, not as an order but a wish.

Diana obliged, still shaking her head. "What can I do?" She asked the woman underneath her, "What can I do to help you?" She questioned, hopelessness getting to her.

Leona smiled, "Come closer."

So Diana did.

She felt Leona's hand creep up, holding her by the back of her neck.

Pulling her in, the silver haired woman offering no resistance, Leona brought Diana's lips against her own.

If she heard someone react to their kiss, Leona didn't care, for she kept her lips firmly pressed against Diana's.

She released Diana's neck and couldn't help the smile that formed on her mouth as she noticed the silver haired woman wasn't pulling away.

Cupping her jaw, she deepened the kiss.

But then her wound acted up, making her hiss into it so, feeling as if she had hurt the wounded woman, Diana pulled away quickly.

"Leo—"

"I've wanted to do that for so,  _so_ long." Leona admitted with a hushed voice, knowing she had nothing left to lose. "I regret not having done it sooner."

Diana pressed her forehead against Leona's, not knowing what to say, not knowing what to do.

"You should keep fighting, Di." Leona told her, knowing exactly what was going on in Diana's mind. "For our people."

_For us._

Diana knew she was about to break in a way that she wouldn't be able to fix.

Not without Leona.

Because one thing was to have to fight her. If they were enemies, it meant Leona's fate was on  _her_ hands and she'd never—

Another thing was to have her gone.

"Give me one last kiss before you go." Leona begged her on a quiet whisper.

So Diana obliged.

It felt like time had stopped but it also felt as if was going way too fast, altogether.

Leona forced herself to break the kiss. "Now go, I'll wait for you." She said with a wink, laying on the ground.

Diana got up, tears on her eyes.

Wiping them, she looked at Armin.

He felt like he was being questioned. "What? She deserved to  _die!"_ He roared. "She was as much of a heretic as this one!" He said, pointing at Diana.

Diana stomped her way towards him.

He tried to crawl away, "What are you all waiting for?" He asked, " _Fight!"_

And it seemed  _his_ power wasn't as strong as Eos' yet, for those of a strong will, those with the red mark on their face, did not react.

Those who were still sided with him did, though, his influence not the most powerful but still strong enough to make them obey.

Diana kept moving towards him.

"Stop her!"

They tried, but nobody could touch her.

Lunari priests and rogue Solaris were protecting her as she made her way towards him, her powers completely drained, whatever dark emotion she felt making her see red, forgetting that she was human or that she had powers.

That she had a kind heart.

Because there was no kindness left in her for those who were like him.

Fighting him into submission, she straddled him.

"I'm going to kill you."

It had been a statement.

And before he could react, she started to punch the life out of him.

She didn't stop, not even as her knuckles started hurting, not even as her lungs started burning from the lack of oxygen, not even as his face went from its' normal color to different shades of green and purple, a galaxy of bruises covering what one day had been a human's face.

She stopped once she couldn't see his skin, for it was all bathed in his own blood.

"I'd gouge your eyes out," Diana thought out loud, somewhat confessing herself to her enemy. "But I want to see your soul abandon your body."

It had not been a joke. It had not been a taunt.

It had been the truth.

She put her hands on his neck and began pressing.

* * *

She could feel her lifeforce slowly draining out.

She had lasted long, way too long for a human, considering her wound, but it seemed even she had to die at some point.

If she had to be honest, she was fine with it. She had died protecting the one she loved.

_Not such a bad way to go._

Leona tried to look up at the sky, see it one more time before dying, but her vision kept getting cloudy, with dark spots all over her sight.

When she  _managed_ to see though, the Sun was shining bright.

_Did time go by so fast that it's noon now?_

She realized she was hallucinating, for suddenly the figure of a  _woman_ materialized on top of her, everything going on around them as if she weren't there.

She saw a smile as bright as the Sun herself.

" _ **Already dying, I see?"**_ A voice from other world said.

She knew that voice.

" _ **Come on now."**_ The short haired warrior said, " _ **The fight's just begun and you**_ **just** _ **did what I asked you to do."**_

Despite feeling like death, Leona chuckled. "Was that what you meant by  _proving it?_ Sacrificing myself for the cause?"

Her ancestor laughed. " _ **No, dear; you sacrificed yourself for**_ **Diana** _ **. You can't lie to me."**_ And then she was standing up, offering the fallen Leona her hand. " _ **Get up, you still have work to do."**_

She tried to reach for her hand, but didn't find the strength in her, her hand feeling like the heaviest thing in the world.

Maybe it really was too late, they both thought.

" _ **I said**_ **get up.** _ **If not for me, for**_ **her."**

So Leona closed her eyes, the image of Diana so close to her again being burned into her eyelids.

She fought to pull herself up.

Not for the Sun, but for the Moon.

* * *

Armin was struggling against Diana's hands, desperately clawing at them.

She did not give him an inch of ground, no breathing room, no break.

She watched as his squirming slowed down.

She kept pressing as his squirming stopped.

She only released him when minutes passed and he did not move nor blink.

After that, she got up, her blade forgotten somewhere on the ground.

She looked around.

Solari fighting against her Lunari, Armin's last command carrying them through the battle.

Noxians killing Ionians.

Demacians killing Noxians.

Irelia being bested by a humongous Noxian that she could feel did not belong to this world, his aura being that of an undead.

A Demacian with broad shoulders being bested by one with a big axe and a red cape.

Riven killing Solari after Solari, tears on her eyes, too.

She saw everyone she knew fighting for a cause, fighting for  _something._

But what was it, again? She had trouble remembering it.

All she could remember was Leona's body, the hilt of a mace going through it.

She closed her eyes and smacked herself on the forehead.

_Of course he'd try to do that again._

She couldn't believe  _she_ had been so stupid, so  _blind._

He had done the  _same thing_ on the Rite of Kor.

And, again, she was stupid enough to let him do it.

And then she killed him, in the hopes of what? It wouldn't fix anything; what was done was done, impossible to revert. No way to go back and fix it.

It was funny, somehow. Ironic; All her life, she had fought for her Goddesses. When she finally got the  _one_ ally she needed, she lost her to a man's cowardly attack.

Her own war had been lost.

It was as if she never had a chance to begin with.

_What a waste._

She opened her eyes and, in the distance, saw a Noxian.

An assassin.

It seemed she had identified her as the reason why both Rakkor and Demacian were in Ionia, for she was taking aim at her.

Probably to kill her.

Definitely in the hopes to deter the Demacians and make them go home.

She saw the redhead smile at her, mouthing a small taunt,  _Duck,_ before throwing her a knife.

It flew through the air swiftly, like the arrow that killed the Crimson Elite, Diana thought.

It was going towards her forehead.

Diana sighed.

She closed her eyes.

She couldn't care less.

Braced for impact.

Time passed. Longer than it should have taken that knife to embed itself on her face.

Impact never came.

And why was everything suddenly so dark? Where there clouds in the sky, all of a sudden?

She opened her eyes.

She was greeted by someone's back, a big shield covering them both.

Then, that person's head was turning, golden,  _glowing_ eyes focusing on hers.

"You lasted this long without giving up, are you  _really_ going to throw in the towel  _now?_ "

Diana didn't trust her eyes. "You just  _died."_

Leona smiled. "You didn't think you'd get rid of me  _that_ easily, did you?"

Before anyone could react, Diana, the battling crowds or the redhead assassin, Leona dislodged the knife that had embedded into her shield and threw it back.

In a blink, the woman vanished out of sight.

"Damn you!" The Chosen of the Sun let out, "Where did you go?!"

"Leona?"

She turned around, being greeted with watery silver eyes. "Yes, Diana?"

They hadn't noticed that Solari and Lunari stopped fighting once more, staring at them.

At the woman who had lost her temper.

At the woman who had just raised from her deathbed.

A wide and long kite shield made of some sort of darker, duller gold was strapped to her left arm, her right hand holding a sword with a red leather grip, the hilt containing two small horns to each of the blade's edges, serving as the guard. The blade itself, being of the same material as the shield, only with its' fuller, its' core, shining a bright red, the golden edges looking older, used, as if they had been burned repeatedly.

Even her armor resembled Diana's more, the gold on it being far less aggressive on the eye, the main color of her apparently leathery armor being a deep red, while the Sunlike color of her eyes remained only as accents here and there, on her gauntlets, her boots, her chest.

And those radiant eyes.

And that radiant smile.

Diana let out a sob.

"Hey, now," Leona whispered, coming closer, not losing sight of whatever was going on around them. "Leave that for later. We got fighting to do."

Golden sunlight seemed to be coming out of her hand like a rope and Leona used it to lasso Diana's blade, expertly bringing it towards them and handing it to the silver haired woman.

"Breathe."

Slowly, Diana came back to her senses.

She started to hear what everyone around them was saying.

They were whispering, disbelief at the sight of Leona, standing up after what everyone knew would be a fatal wound for a mere mortal.

A  _mere_  mortal. Not for her, just like it hadn't been for Diana back then.

And, in all of her splendor, the Aspect of the Sun stood.

No forged Zenith blade.

No broken shield of Daybreak.

No molten armor of the Sun.

No blasphemous copies made by mortal men, but the armor of her ancestors, the one she had always been meant to wield.

And a shield and sword heavenly sent  _just_ for her.

"Armin tried, failed and died in the process." Leona said in a loud voice, for every Solari to hear her. "This is a  _final_ warning. Stand down."

Their faith somewhat shaken, not sure of what to believe in, those Solari who had followed Eos' heir were at a loss, unsure of what to do. With Armin gone, they suddenly lost their will to fight, but were still afraid of siding with the Scorn of the Moon.

So they settled for a middle ground and surrendered, dropping their guards and weapons.

Leona smirked. "Those of you who  _still_ have a fight left in you and offer me your swords, we've got Noxians to kick out of these lands. Let's not let them spill any more blood!"

It gave Diana goosebumps, how all of her loyal guards roared at her words.

She was too shaken to do the same for her people, to rile them up for the fight.

And she had never been a Leader, anyway.

"Lunari!" She heard Riven roar. "Let's get those Noxians out!"

They knew Diana trusted her enough to let her take the lead, so they let out a battle cry at her orders.

Diana, eyes still on Leona, still stunned into silence, saw the assassin from before reappear after vanishing, this time right behind the Ra-Horak's back.

Acting out of pure instinct, Diana brought her blade down onto the ground, pulling the Noxian in with her power, making her lose her balance.

Then, she moved past Leona towards the assassin, bringing up her shield, ready to impact against her—

The assassin blinked away just in time, back into her fighting fellows' lines.

"Glad to see you're with us," Leona said as she patted Diana's back. "Now, let's go."

Diana finally snapped out of it, the adrenaline that started running through her veins being enough to bring her back to reality. "Right."

So both Lunari and Solari joined the fight between Noxians, Ionians and Demacians.

That boulder of a man— Sion was his name, they learned from hearing the other Noxians— swung his bestial axe at an already defeated Irelia, who had been forced to bend a knee due to her exhaustion.

Leona acted before she could even think.

Summoning her sunlight rope all tied up around her blade, she threw it at him.

The sword pierced his arm, getting stuck in it, successfully making him stop his attack.

He turned his head to look at Leona.

He put his big hand around the small blade.

She gulped, "Oh shi—"

He pulled her in by her own trick, the sunlight tight around her arm, making it impossible for her to let go.

At the sight of the Celestial flying through the air, pulled by her right arm, Diana moved.

Rushing towards him, her power carrying her like a thunderbolt, Diana jumped to his head and twirled rapidly on the air, her Crescent blade hitting him like a deadly tornado.

Her attack was enough to make him lose concentration, Leona hitting herself against his arm but nothing else.

Taking advantage of her position, she retrieved her sword and channeled her powers onto her shield, before taking a jump and bashing it against his big skull.

The giant ricocheted off them, falling on his back, to the ground.

As they landed on the ground, Leona helped Irelia up, Diana's eyes scanning the Noxian troops.

"Sun admirer."

That gruff, low voice called Leona's attention.

"Hand of Noxus," She said as she turned to look at him. "You're still kicking after our last encounter."

"And you've made friends with your enemies in your fear, I see."

Diana narrowed her eyes at that, getting ready to take him on.

She didn't expect it when he swung his axe towards her, not to attack her but to trap her on it.

Pull her in.

Leona ran towards her, quickly trying to think of  _what_ to do, for Diana was caged.

He then jumped in the air, his axe above his head.

Ready to perform an execution.

Leona reached Diana and brought her shield up in a desperate attempt to protect her, despite remembering what Edlyn had warned her the last time; Dodge it or die, for her shield wouldn't be able to protect her.

Still, she tried.

Clenching her teeth, she brought Diana closer and closed her eyes shut.

She kept them closed for a bit more after feeling his axe connect to her new shield, the impact making them both shake on their feet.

But the axe never made it through her shield, like Diana's khopesh had not too long ago.

Leona opened her eyes and saw Darius back off, shock evident on his face.

She inspected her shield.

Not even a dent.

She huffed a laugh, looking at him. "I guess godly armory is stronger than that made by humans."

Darius did not give her a break, already lunging for her again.

Leona brought her shield up, ready to meet him.

Distracting him from the silver haired shadow already behind him, ready to strike.

But he hadn't been fooled, for he swung his axe one more, giving a full, fast spin on his feet.

Diana dodged it by a hair's breadth. Leona braced herself, ready to meet it.

Then, as she focused on that axe, the redhead assassin appeared behind her again.

She had easy aim to the back of her head.

She got ready to throw her knife.

She released it, watching it fly towards the Chosen of the Sun, her lover being out of reach, making it impossible for her to help.

But the blade never reached Leona, for it was met by some green, runic energy, clashing against it and flying away from it.

The assassin saw whoever had just frustrated her kill, now standing between Leona and her.

The sight made her let out a shivering breath. "You've got to be kidding me." She said on a low, aggressive tone.

As Leona pushed Darius' axe away, she saw him look at the woman behind her and freeze, so she turned.

Riven had just deflected the blow aimed to kill her.

"Riven."

The white haired woman turned her head at the mention of her name. "Darius."

He was shaking his head.

"I'll take him," She said to Leona. "You two help Irelia against the rest."

The Radiant Dawn didn't need her to say it twice. Nodding her head, she lunged for the assassin, Diana blinking into her sights a second later.

"You were confirmed dead."

Riven narrowed her eyes, seizing him. Having monitored his training at some point in the past, she knew exactly what he was capable of, though she feared he had learned something new during her time  _dead._

"By who?" She asked, moving around him, aware that he'd never seen her use her runic power, giving her a big advantage over him, considering she used it most of the time now, as her blade was broken, making her need a little bit more of power.

"Cyrus."

It took her by surprise.

Darius used that brief moment of distraction to his advantage, lunging for Riven, twirling his axe in what looked like a crippling strike.

She ducked and rolled sideways towards it, quickly moving past it, before getting up and slashing for his exposed torso, his arm overextended.

She didn't get him though, for he brought his arm back quickly, elbowing her on the face, forcing her back.

"He should be dead, like the rest of my Elite." She said, anger seeping into her words.

Cyrus, the one who had shot that arrow that would put an end to the invasion, an end to her Crimson Elite, was still alive.

"He's very much alive." Darius said, before trying to get her again, spinning with his axe extended.

This time, Riven moved towards him.

Missing the axe's edge by a hair, getting close enough that only its' grip could touch her, she got low enough that the top of her head was underneath his chin and headbutted him, making him stagger backwards.

"Where is he."

It had not been a question.

It was a  _demand._

"I'll tell you once you tell me what the Hell you're doing fighting against us."

" _There_ it is, that Noxian pride of yours."

He lunged for her again.

So she dodged once more, delivering a counterattack.

This time, he did not back off, attacking her again instead.

So they fought, blow after blow, one right after the other, a direct response to the other's offensive.

Because Riven knew his loyalty remained with  _Noxus,_ not with her nor anybody, so he'd fight until he considered it wasn't good for Noxus' interests.

And he knew Riven wasn't going to give the fight up, whatever she was determined to do being enough to keep her playing the game.

So they kept going, unaware of their surroundings.

Unaware of how tired Diana and Leona were of the assassin that kept bothering them.

"She doesn't stay still," Leona let out between clenched teeth, trying to bash that woman's skull in, finding it impossible due to her quick feet.

Diana couldn't land her strikes either, the moonlight she let out to mark her, make her easy to follow, always missing her by a second.

And they still had Sion to take care of, as he was already on his feet again, fighting all of the Solari and Lunari by himself, being distracted from the Celestials by them.

"The DuCoteau siblings are awful." Irelia commented as she disarmed the assassin's brother, trying to strike him with her flurry of blades, missing him as she jumped out of reach.

The redhead appeared behind Irelia and grabbed her by the neck, ready to slit her throat.

Before Diana and Leona could react, a cloud of smoke hid Captain Lito from their sights.

They heard fighting, but couldn't see it.

They saw the redhead blink away from it, a muscle feathering on her jaw.

As the cloud vanished, a woman dressed in green, her face hidden underneath a mask of the same color, had her back against Irelia's, her eyes on the redhead.

Irelia didn't even look at her. "Glad to see you still care about Ionia, Akali."

"I'll handle the DuCoteau," The ninja said, "You go for Sion."

Irelia knew it would be wise to listen to the Assassin with no master. "Diana, Leona, let's go!"

And just like that, they left the new contender alone with the two Noxian assassins.

They saw how both lunged for her and, creating another smoke screen, Akali disappeared out of reach.

"Damn, she's good." Leona said, already losing sight of her, but hearing her attack the two of them at the same time.

"The bloody best, unfortunately." Irelia said, "Let's take him down!"

He saw them and brought his axe up.

"Behind me!" Leona roared, bringing her shield up, preparing her counter.

He brought his axe down on them, connecting with Leona's shield, which let out sunlight at the impact.

It burned him, making him take one step back.

Irelia brought her blades up and threw them at him, successfully disarming him, his axe falling to the ground. After seeing him barehanded, she placed her blades all around him, cornering him into them.

He was trapped.

"Go!" Irelia roared at the two Empyreans.

So Diana did.

She marked him with moonlight and lunged for him.

He brought his hand up, ready to bat her away.

Leona threw her blade at his hand, piercing it, pulling from the sunlight rope attached to it and thus bringing his hand back, leaving the path clear for Diana.

With one slash of her blade, Diana chopped his arm off.

He screamed at her, not in pain but in anger, bringing his other hand up, a fist balled up and coming for Diana.

Leona threw her blade again and they repeated the process, leaving him without his arms, as they both fell to the ground, free from his body.

Diana landed on the ground after that, watching the monstrous man with terror, for she couldn't believe he was still standing.

He roared at them, something like fire coating him as he worked his fury up.

But Leona had had enough of him.

Bringing her sword up, she called upon the Sun's help.

He was showered in sunlight, which forced him still.

Which burned him down.

He was nothing but ashes after that.

Riven jumped in the air and brought her sword down on Darius, making him meet it with his axe, their strength keeping their weapons there.

He stole a glance at Sion, only to find he had been pulverized.

Having lost their deadliest monster, the only one they thought incapable of dying, he knew that keeping the fight up would only end up in more losses for Noxus.

"You win." He said to Riven.

Feeling her ease her strength a bit, she pushed her away, quickly getting on her feet, "Retreat!" He roared, "Retreat!" He repeated.

And just like that, the Noxians began to run away.

Just like that, the assassins vanished with their army, Akali doing the same since her help was not needed anymore.

But Irelia wasn't satisfied with that.

Looking at the Demacians, she brought her blades up. "Now, you—"

"Demacia!" Leona roared, calling their attention.

She was aware that neither Garen nor Jarvan were anywhere to be found.

She gripped the charm Lux had given her and ripped it from her neck, raising it high so that they all could see it. "I've been given this by your Leader,  _Garen_ Crownguard, as a token of my authority!" She lied, knowing the charm was actually Garen's and not Lux's. "Leave now, retreat back to your city, or Ionia will have to respond!"

She brought her hand down, then let out a bit lower, a bit more menacingly, "Or Garen will hear about your disobedience."

There was no questions to be asked after that.

As quickly as they came, Demacians left the city.

A minute went by, their jagged breaths being the only thing they could hear.

Diana looked for Leona. She was already staring at her.

Without a warning, she let go of her blade and ran towards her.

Leona let go of her sword, her shield too, opening her arms, ready to embrace her.

And for a moment, Diana really believed she'd vanish right before she could touch her.

That's why she let out a sigh of relief as she met Leona's body, her arms going around the auburn haired woman's neck, feeling those strong hands reaching for her back.

"You're alive!" She cried, though it was out of happiness, not sadness. "You're  _alive!"_

Leona chuckled. "Thank Edlyn for that."

They pulled away, only for Diana to force Leona's face against her, kissing her hard on the lips.

Leona answered with as much excitement.

But then her strength vanished as she slowly stopped reciprocating the kiss.

Diana pulled away, confused, "Leo…?" She scanned her for whatever was bothering her—

Leona fainted, Diana doing her best to hold her up.

There was blood staining her armor, near her abdomen.

Whatever had held her together during the battle, it had burned out.

"I need a medic!" Diana roared out, quickly picking Leona up.

She absentmindedly followed as Bast guided her into the Lunari Temple once more.

She was unsure whether Irelia, Riven, the Solari soldiers and Lunari priests were following, too.

She could only look at Leona, her closed eyes, her slow breathing.

In her mind, a phrase kept repeating itself, like a prayer.

A phrase that had helped her get up that time when it was  _her_ knocking on Death's door.

"You're not done yet, Leo" She whispered, terrified of the thought that she might not be able to hear her anymore.

_You're not done yet._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the so awaited kiss. Not under the circumstances we hoped though, right?
> 
> Happy belated valentine's day y'all! Hope you find this chapter to be of your liking.
> 
> I'd be more than honoured to hear your thoughts.
> 
> See you next time!


	42. Chapter 42

She remembered being inside her own mind like this once before.

A vast darkness that gave her the eerie illusion that there wasn't even ground to stand on, extending for only Gods know how long.

But there was something different this time; spots of light all over the place, dotting the darkness with light.

 _Stars,_ she thought as she gazed at them, walking around aimlessly.

Waiting for the other one who had been inside this place with her, a long time ago.

Surely, that time she had just been a  _voice_ inside her head, echoing throughout the void, but she knew what she looked like now. Would she still hide?

She felt a presence behind her, so Leona greeted her, in a way. "I was wondering when you'd show up." She said, before turning to look at her.

Edlyn was smirking at her, still moving closer, a shrug of those broad shoulders that made the loose shirt sway. "I like to take my time."

Leona chuckled, nodding her head, "You took your time, alright."

But there was something different to her, now.

Her hair was brown, almost black. Her eyes too.

"What happened to your Chosen  _looks_?"

Edlyn made a point by checking Leona out, her eyes roaming her body up and down, stopping in her eyes. "Not mine to sport, anymore." She smiled, "Mind if we sit?" She asked, suddenly sitting down in something that Leona couldn't see, but was still invited to join her.

Eagerly, Leona moved to Edlyn's side and tried to sit down.

She fell to the ground.

Edlyn hollered with laughter.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Leona asked her, surprised at her ancestor's mirth and amazed that she had fallen for it.

"When you spend  _so long_ inside this thick skull of yours like I did," Edlyn says, relaxing onto her seat. "You learn a trick or two, like how to materialize seats that you can't see."

"And how to make them disappear, I guess." Leona said, before standing up and going to Edlyn's other side, this time succeeding at sitting. "This is  _my_ mind, not yours, so stop tampering with it, thank you very much."

Edlyn laughed at her, wiping a tear away. "I'm so funny."

"Whatever," Leona said, despite the smile on her lips.

So they watched the skies that seemed to surround them in silence.

Leona had a few things in her mind, though.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you."

Edlyn looked at her. "Is this about the whole  _Eclipse_ thing?" She asked her, watching as Leona nodded, sorrow evident on her features. "You shouldn't worry about it."

"I still do, though. I feel sad about it."

"All I feel sad about is not having killed Ayden's baby." Edlyn confessed, no anger on her voice, but honest truth. "If I had done it, then maybe it would have been easier for you two to fix us, to stop the  _Solari_ and  _Lunari_ madness." She frowned in thought. "If I had done it, no one would have that sorceress' power. No one would believe lies blindly."

"It was a  _baby,_ Edlyn." Leona reasoned. "It takes a monster to touch a creature so…"

"Defenseless."

"Exactly."

Edlyn sighed. "I guess you're right. I couldn't do it." The stole a glance at Leona, noticing the sadness in her eyes, "But you shouldn't worry about it," She added, smiling at her. "I did what I felt I had to do and passed onto the next realm with nothing keeping me tied to yours." Her eyes softened. "I now spend my afterlife with Skadi by my side, both of us guiding you and Diana. What more could I ask for?"

"Well, I know what  _I_ could ask for." Leona started, making Edlyn frown at her. "I could ask for a better teacher; you did a  _lousy_ job with me—" She was silenced by a smack on the head. "Hey!"

"Insolent  _brat!"_ Edlyn said, still hitting Leona with her hand, the Ra-Horak still hiding herself behind her arms in a poor attempt to protect herself. "I swear to the Gods, Leona, you made me regret my decision of choosing you  _so many times!"_

It killed Leona's mirth. "Did I?"

Edlyn stopped hitting her. "You did, but once I declare the Chosen of the Sun, it's over. I can't revert it, so I was stuck with someone who didn't listen."

Leona was quiet. Too quiet.

Edlyn sighed. "I'm not blaming you for it, because it was not your fault, darling." She put her hand on Leona's shoulder. "It just frustrated me to no end; to know that there was nothing I could do for you." She looked into her golden eyes, "I took your powers away because I didn't want Eos having them at his disposal. Once I disowned you, there was nothing I could do until you opened that thick head of yours to the truth." She smiled. " _That_ was Diana's test; To bring you back to the light. Yours was to allow yourself to be guided."

"Test." Leona repeated. She then looked into her eyes, "Is that why you two took  _so_ long to show us all of that? Just for the sake of  _testing?"_

Edlyn eased into her seat. "Skadi knew it was Diana ever since she was a child." She looked into the firmament, marveled at that which her lover reigned. "The girl was born at night, in the middle of a storm. Naturally, Skadi watched her and, being Diana nothing but a baby, she couldn't help the desire to protect her from what otherwise would have been an inevitable death." She smiled at the sky, "After that, Skadi found it impossible to keep herself away; protecting her from danger, playing with her as the wind, displaying her most beautiful stars for her at night… Amazed at the one Rakkor that had no prejudices in her, no preconceived, unfair judgement for the Moon nor the night. Even after becoming a Solari, Diana still refused to hate that which had marveled her with no motive, so Skadi announced to me that Diana had been selected as the Aspect of the Moon." She looked at Leona, "That's why she was always so agile, always so quick to heal with her unnatural speed, always a step ahead; Because she had been Chosen before she even knew it, only she was granted the title, the  _full_ power that came with it, when she was ready. When it was her time." She looked into the sky again. "Skadi took her time helping her find out the truth on her own, making sure she had made the right decision. When Diana proved her right, she granted her the gifts of the Moon."

Then Edlyn sat up, turning to see Leona. "You, on the other hand, were a complete, different story." She announced, "I always kept an eye on the Ra-Horak, but it wasn't until later on in your life that I realized you were the one. At first, I thought Khait would be the one; he was a natural leader, even if he was the most brutal one of them all. Watching him, one day, I saw you, arguing with him, not caring about his position in the tribe. You caught my attention then, so I started following you." She smirked, "The moment I noticed that you were the  _only_ one who had no desire to fight for the sake of killing, but for the sake of protecting those who couldn't do it for themselves, I knew I had found the one. I watched as you kept proving that you had the  _true_ Ra-Horak spirit in you, instead of that one born of an ignorance of their origin. When Khait ordered your execution, I knew I had to intervene before I was left with nothing, so I kept you safe."

"I'm slightly offended that he  _actually_ tried to kill me."

"He was just doing what he had to do."

Leona snorted. "Let me have my grudges."

"The Solari held onto my intervention, knowing exactly what it meant, giving you the title of Chosen before I ever had the pleasure." Edlyn continued, "I saw myself forced to grant you your powers before your time, if only to prove that you were the one and that they had to let you grow into your role." She frowned. "I tried to do what Skadi had done with Diana. I tried to help you reach the truth on your own, but I failed and gave Eos a chance to ruin what Skadi and I were building; killing Khait and blaming Diana, he broke your will, making you easy to manipulate." There was sorrow in her eyes as she spoke, "I had to renounce you, had to take your power away, if only to protect Diana, to hint at the fact that you had walked away from the light."

She stretched, relaxing her stiff back, then continued speaking. "Skadi and I wanted both of you to see the whole truth, but we couldn't bring both of you to Mount Targon's summit at the same time; you couldn't hear me and it was impossible for Diana to convince you without a little help, so we started talking to Helena, granting her the ability to hear us, in the hopes that she'd be able to penetrate your mind. Thankfully, we succeeded there. Once you started doubting, knowing no one but Diana could offer you answers, it was easier than before; with Riven's help, you reached the portal to Mount Targon's summit. Since both of you touched it, it was activated and you finally made it there. It's only there that we can show you depictions of the past, only there that we could show you the truth in a way you would know it was nothing but truth, so it became the final test for you two; reach the peak to our Mountain, together."

"Then  _why_ did I have to prove my allegiance to you, later on?"

Edlyn snorted. "Not to me, for I knew you praised the Sun." Her gaze was intense, nevermind the lack of that ethereal gold in it, "I wanted you to prove your allegiance to Diana, to the  _Night,_ to alleviate my fears that maybe you weren't completely certain of what you were doing."

"You were afraid Eos could still get to me."

Edlyn nodded. "You proved me wrong, though, so I did with you what Skadi did so long ago with Diana; I granted you all of the gifts of the Sun."

"I  _really_ needed a shield. Thank you for that."

Edlyn laughed. "You're welcome." She looked at the sky once more, before standing up, "Now, let's go."

"Where to?" Leona asked, confused, but still standing up.

"Well, I'll go back to Skadi. I took enough of your time already, so you should go back to Diana." Edlyn told her, already walking away.

"Wait!"

Edlyn turned, looking at Leona over her shoulder.

"Of all times, why wait until I was  _almost_ dead?"

Edlyn smiled. "Because I like dramatism."

And as she vanished away, as the firmament became dark, as everything started to get blurry, as nothing but darkness was right in front of her eyes, Leona wanted to laugh at her, but also insult her, because how dare she scare them like that, but how could she if she was gone—

* * *

She opened her eyes.

She felt well rested, even if her body was a little bit sore.

The left side of her abdomen stung, though.

And what was that weight over her chest?

Leona blinked a few times, trying to gather her surroundings, realizing she was inside some room in the Lunari Temple.

A hand was laid on top of her right one, both on her chest, so her eyes followed the other woman's figure.

Looking to her right, she saw Diana, sitting on a chair by her bed, laying her head on her mattress, completely asleep.

Carefully so as not to wake her up, Leona freed her right hand from Diana's, switching it with her left, so that she could put her arm around her, stroking her head as she slept.

"She refused to leave your side."

She hadn't noticed Riven was also in the room until she spoke, making her whip her head around.

The Noxian walked closer, taking a seat to Leona's left. "After you fainted, she carried you here herself and let the medics do their job but once they were done, she came in here and stayed. You've been asleep for a whole day and she hasn't left your side ever since." She then frowned, "She  _did_ leave for a moment, maybe ten minutes, but then she was back here, still in her armor, with blood all over her. I forced her to take a bath and change onto those robes."

"Thank you." Was all Leona could find in herself to say.

"She cares deeply about others and forgets to take care of herself sometimes," Riven mused out loud. "So she needs someone to take care of her, too."

Leona gulped, feeling Riven get intense for minute before she said something else.

"She needs  _you_ to take care of her, just as much as she does for you."

The weight of the phrase, "Riven—"

"You don't need to thank me for caring." She said, interrupting the Empyrean. "All you need to do is be there for her." She stood up, ready to leave, "And I swear to whatever Gods there are; if you  _dare_ betray her," She smiled, despite the darkness of her words. "I'll make you suffer worse than that Armin boy did before he died."

Leona didn't have time to say anything to her, the former Noxian immediately standing up and walking to the door after that.

Her hand on the handle, she added something else. "I have a hunch, though."

"What does it tell you?"

She smiled at her over her shoulder. "That I won't have to teach you a lesson."

She opened the door and left.

So Leona was left alone with a slumbering Diana and a lot to think of.

* * *

She shuffled a little bit, sleep trying to claim her for itself once more, but Diana decided she had had enough of it, so she fought to get up from the position she was in, nevermind the extra weight of something on top of her head.

She used her free hand to rub her eyes before finally opening them.

She almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Leona, staring right back at her, as if studying her every movement.

"You're—"

"Awake," Leona finished for her. "Yeah, I've been for a while now." She smirked, a teasing look on her face. "You mumble in your sleep, did you know that?"

And Diana wanted to tease her back, wanted to tell her she snored sometimes, wanted to make her laugh, maybe even blush, but she couldn't.

She couldn't, for there was a lump in her throat that kept her from talking.

She couldn't, for there were tears in her eyes.

Leona's expression softened at the sight, "Oh, Diana," She said, before opening her arms for her. "Come here."

Diana didn't hesitate as she moved forwards, carefully avoiding Leona's wound, hugging her tightly. Leona wrapped her arms around her, burying her face on the woman's neck, her soft, free hair tickling her face.

Then, between two quiet sobs, she heard her say, "I thought you were  _dead!"_

"I thought that for a moment, too." Leona half-joked. "But please, don't cry. I'm alive!" A thought occurred, then, "Unless you're crying because I'm alive, then in that case—"

" _Leona!"_

Leona laughed at her.

Diana pulled away enough to look at her eyes. "I'm just so happy you're okay." She said, a smile on her lips despite the tears that ran down her cheeks.

"Oh, those are tears of happiness then!" Leona commented cheerfully, watching as Diana nodded. "In such a case, please, cry as much as you'd like."

It made Diana chuckle.

The sound made Leona's heart beat faster, proud of knowing she was capable of making her laugh. She saw Diana get quiet for a minute then, as if she had something in her mind that wanted to let out.

"Did you mean it?" She finally asked, her stare on Leona's eyes. Upon seeing confusion on her expression, she added, "Back in the fight, when you first fell to the ground… did you mean it?"

Leona made some room in her bed, "Come here," She said, patting the now free spot.

Diana shook her head. "No, Leo, you're wounded—"

"On my left side. I'm making room on my right. Come on." She insisted, motioning for Diana to come closer.

Slowly, afraid of hurting her, Diana obliged, getting into the bed with her, side by side.

Leona grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers. "Ever since then, I've never been able to get you out of my mind."

 _Since when?_ "Ever since I left?"

Leona shook her head a bit. "Ever since I laid eyes on you, on my welcoming ceremony." She confessed, smiling at Diana as she blushed a bit. "I remember staring at you, dozing off, not caring about whatever circus was going on around you and feeling amazed by it. By you."

"I was so sleepy."

Leona smirked. "I do wonder why."

Diana rolled her eyes. "Hush."

Content with her reaction, Leona continued, "Even after we fell out, you've always been on my mind." She looked down at their hands, her thumb rubbing Diana's knuckles, "At some point, I despised the fact that you had that effect over me and I tried to let go of you, looking for someone to keep my mind off you." She closed her eyes, a bit ashamed of what she was about to say. "I tried to convince myself that what I was looking for could be found in Luxanna."

It took her by surprise. "The Light Mage?"

Leona nodded. "I tried to fool myself into liking her, if only to forget about you but it never happened." She chuckled, "It would have been a one way thing, anyway." She looked at Diana's eyes, "I never tried because I knew I would have never found in her what I was looking for."

Diana gulped, "I guess we're both guilty of the same sins."

Now Leona was taken aback. "How so?"

"Fighting against you, feeling the way I feel about you…" She sighed, "It only became harder each time we did it. It was a constant heartbreak that had no remedy, no possible solution." She looked at their linked hands. "I tried to find a distraction in Riven."

Leona was  _alarmed_ by it. "You said nothing—"

"I said we never had  _sex."_ Diana calmly stated, letting Leona know she was not to be interrupted. "It never got that far." She closed her eyes. "You were so out of reach and she was so willing, having gotten so close to me." She frowned. "I know I'm oblivious, but even I'm not  _that_ blind; I could tell she was feeling a certain type of way, so one night of weakness I kissed her."

"Did she kiss you back?"

"Yes."

Leona did not ask anymore.

Diana continued. "The problem laid on the fact that, every time I closed my eyes, I wasn't kissing her, but  _you."_ She said, looking into the Ra-Horak's eyes, honesty shining in her silver ones. "And I couldn't do that to Riven; I couldn't use her like that, so I told her the truth; my heart belonged to someone else."

Leona felt her mouth go dry at those words.

Diana ignored it. "She understood and never even tried to pursue me. She's a loyal friend, above anything else."

"Then what's with her crawling into your bed every night?" Leona asked, earning a look from Diana, her mouth open, ready to say something, but Leona then added, "I'm not complaining. I'm just curious, trying to understand."

Diana closed her mouth, before she let out a sigh. "Riven is haunted by the ghosts of her past; nightmares that keep her up and, in the best of cases, when she manages to sleep, keep her restless. We found out I have the power to ease this pain, keep the nightmares at bay. She snuggles to me because I allow her to, so I can help her sleep." She frowned at their hands, but still moved her fingers a bit, if only to rub them against Leona's. "Now that she knows that her Elite's archer is alive, she's going to have even more trouble with falling asleep."

"She won't be in peace until she does something about it." Leona mused out loud, earning a nod from Diana. "How did she find that out?"

"Darius told her while they fought." Diana said, "And I know what she lusts for; what she sees in both her nightmares and in her most precious dreams. Riven won't be in peace until  _Irelia_ forgives her and sees her for who she  _is,_ instead of who she  _used to be."_

"I hope she gets what she needs to be happy." Leona said, earning a curious look from Diana.

She really meant it, her honesty shining through in her golden eyes.

It relieved Diana to see that. "I hope so too."

She remembered something, then. "Did Riven see us from the other side of the mirror?"

Diana shook her head. "Having supernatural energy of some sort, she was able to feel our presence, but she could see nothing but herself on it."

"Oh, okay."

And they fell quiet.

Leona thinking about all of what Diana had said, statements of love, of desire, hidden in all of her confessions.

It made her restless in a more physical way than Riven's.

While Diana still had one question left.

"Leo?"

"Hm?" She hummed in question, turning her head towards Diana only to find her looking back at her.

She was close enough that she could feel her breath on her face.

So Diana asked her, quietly enough that Leona almost missed it.

"What were you looking for that you couldn't find anywhere?"

She couldn't take it anymore.

Leona pressed her lips against Diana's, hard.

She let out a shuddering breath when she felt Diana kiss her back as desperately.

Bringing her hands up to cup Diana's jaw and force her to pull away before she did something Leona wouldn't be able to stop, the warrior let out a quick, hungry, " _You."_

And Diana lost her mind.

She crashed her lips against Leona's, quickly swinging one of her legs over the wounded warrior's so as to straddle her, still being careful enough so as to avoid hurting her any more.

Cold hands gripped at the hair on the back of Leona's head, the warrior's own hands going around the silver haired woman's back, scratching at it in an attempt to bring her as close as humanly possible.

Being pushed into overdrive, Leona was  _panting_ into the kiss, her hands greedily coming up, pulling Diana's hair rather forcefully.

The silver haired woman growled at the feeling, biting Leona's lip and, as she made her gasp, slipping her tongue into her mouth.

Leona couldn't keep herself in check as she grunted into the kiss, feeling Diana press her body against hers, the auburn haired woman's hands wandering lower, squeezing her backside.

Diana stopped kissing her lips only to let her mouth roam, kissing her way towards Leona's neck, before giving it a lick and biting hard.

The sound that came out of Leona's mouth was sinfully delicious.

But then they heard the door being opened and Diana immediately jumped away from Leona, back onto her seat.

Bast opened the door and found them disheveled, both  _glaring_ at him, Leona's expression being far wilder than Diana's.

"By the power conferred to me by the Sun,  _leave immediately."_ Leona tried, looking completely serious.

Bast didn't look amused. "You two will have time for that, later." He said, coming in despite not being invited, moving towards them. "I guess you're feeling good." He said to Leona, looking at Diana with an accusing look.

Leona looked at Diana, completely furious. "I swear, I'm about to get up and declare war on the Lunari once more." She said, earning a horrified  _Leona!_ from Diana.

"That joke was made maybe a little bit too soon," Bast commented. "I didn't want to interrupt anything, but I needed to check up on you; you're needed."

"Needed?" They both said.

It was borderline ominous, Bast thought. "Yes." He looked at Leona. "Your troops have been offered food and rest here in our Temple. We've even patched them up and gave them fresh clothes, doing our best to repair their armor and weapons, but they feel lost; they need you to go out there and explain what's going on."

"Right," Leona said, suddenly serious and, with Diana's help, got up.

* * *

The underground room filled with chatting, uneasy Solari as they saw Lunari walk down the stairs, accompanied by Leona, side by side with Diana.

Their eyes were on them and the silver eyed one was taken back to that first day, when she wondered what Leona felt upon having everyone stare at her.

She finally knew.

She did not like it.

Thankfully, her lover quietly guided her to a seat nearby her. She was still in front of everyone but the warrior stood right in front of them all too, nearby her, stole their attention.

Leona watched them all for a bit in silence, her hands clasped together behind her back, loose pants and a shirt covering her, offering comfort for her wound.

She finally opened up her mouth.

"We've been lied to."

She looked into their eyes. Some of them looked surprised, some didn't even bat an eyelid.

"We've been lied to." She repeated as she started to pace, slowly, in front of them. "All of us, all of you and I. We've been lied to and used by someone who has only his interests in mind."

She paused, thinking her words before beginning.

"We've been led to believe that Solari and Lunari are two different sides of a war; when they're both actually parts of one whole. A long time ago those names didn't even exist, for they were joined underneath one, the religion all of the Rakkor followed and believed in; the  _Empyreans_." She said, a frown of concentration on her face as she thought about what she was going to say next thoroughly. "We've been misguided, blind to the truth, believing the Sun and the Moon chase each other on the sky with the purpose of fighting, while it's something completely different."

She stopped her pacing. "The Sun and the Moon are not enemies, just like they're not  _friends_ either." Her shoulders relaxed, "They're  _lovers,_ playing an eternal game of chase in the hopes of one day being together, thus creating nights and days, making time go by. One of them leaves the sky only to let the other shine on her glory, before doing the same thing." She looked at them all with fire in her golden eyes, "Both of them have someone to represent them on this realm; the Chosen of the Sun and the Chosen of the Moon, bound by destiny, fated to work together to keep the one thing that matters the most for us;  _balance._ Balance between life and death, balance between good and evil, balance between chaos and order.  _That_ is what our religion believes in;  _balance,_ our Goddesses being the eternal proof of it, Diana and I being those selected to play the role of the living, mortal proof of it."

She shook her head. "But none of us knew this. None of us knew the true story to our people, our Goddesses, our roles to play in this life, because a long time ago, a man who resented the Moon made a deal with a sorceress who granted him the power of persuasion. Using this power, this man convinced half of our people that the  _other_ half was evil, thus rebelling against them, killing those who served the Empyreans, but under the Moon's command."

She had narrowed her eyes. "He cornered the Chosen of the Moon while she was alone and killed her on cold blood. Upon finding her, the Chosen of the Sun prayed to the skies, begging to be granted the power of the Moon, if only for a short period of time, so that she could avenge her unjust death. Becoming an Eclipse, she killed all who had involved themselves in the battle."

"But she did not know something." Leona raised her voice, "She did not know that the sorceress had made such power inheritable. The man guilty of killing her lover had a heir, so his power was passed onto him. Generation after generation, the secret of their power had been shared between them, the truth of who we are and the lie that they had meant to built being information they held onto, too. Thus, Empyreans died and Solari were born, the Lunari being nothing but a direct response to the Solari hatred."

Then her voice got low, her mind plagued with images of the Elders. "Today, the man whose ancestor started it all, the man who still has this ancient, evil magic on him, sits on a throne of sorts, unquestioned. The one meant to inherit this power, the one who could get into your minds but not as effectively as his superior, died to Diana's hands." Upon revealing this, she heard a few murmurs, but she decided it would be better if she just confirmed their guesses. "Armin died, but Eos remains."

She allowed them to speak between them about it, fully aware of the confusion they must have felt upon hearing her words. As they grew quiet again, she spoke once more. "But I wouldn't be honest with you if I told you I haven't lied to you, too." She said as she looked at Diana, an apologetic look on her face. "I've lied to you and I've failed you and for that I must apologise." She said, before letting out a long exhale and explaining herself. "I was Chosen the moment I proved myself to the Sun, when I refused to fight on my own Rite of Kor, but Diana was Chosen ever since she was a little girl." She remembered what she had heard from Edlyn, the information surprising even Diana herself. "I guess our link as Aspects of the Sun and the Moon might carry some of the blame, but in any case, I can confirm that I've been enthralled by her ever since laying eyes on her, when she was still a Solari."

She frowned as she remembered their past, thinking there were so many things she'd do different, so many things she'd do better. "The Ra-Horak have never cared about who you were attracted for, so it was only natural for me to pursue her, but I learned the Solari weren't as accepting. We couldn't stay away, but fear at the punishment that could come for her forced us into silence, into hiding, into keeping our thing a secret." She took a deep breath, getting ready for what she was about to say. "Maybe, if I had been honest from the very beginning, things would have turned out differently. Maybe today we wouldn't have to go through this, but what's done is done and we can only learn from our mistakes. I've felt fear and I have not stood up against it and  _that's_ where I failed."

She exhaled her nerves away. "Now, the day she ascended onto her role, my former commander, Khait from the Ra-Horak, was murdered, the blame put on her. To learn such a horrible thing broke me on the inside. Being a Celestial, just like Diana, I was out of reach for Eos' power, his persuasion working only on those who were completely human, but even those with power on their veins can be manipulated, as long as their hearts were filled with doubt, their will broken."

She licked her lips, her mouth gone dry. "Hearing that the love of my life had killed the man who was like a father to me broke me. Eos saw me fall apart, only to pick the pieces up and put me back together, but I was not the same. My mind was not the same. He had gotten into it, rotting it right to the core, making me believe the lies he fed us all."

And, despite what she was saying, a smile formed on her lips. "But as I felt weaker, my power being denied to me by the Sun, for I was not using it for good, doubt was once more installed in my heart, so I pursued Diana in search for answers." She looked at the woman in question, "She opened herself up to me once more and, together, we discovered the truth and here I am now, sharing it with you all."

In the stunned silence, she took a chair and sat on it, her chest to the backrest, her arms laid on top of it, propping her up. "I know how it feels, to have all you believe in being shaken, only to be burned, presented with a truth far from what you used to think was right. For that sole reason, you're presented with a choice, today, right now; I declare the Solari are dead, so you only have two options. You can stand up and walk away from us, from this, from all you've just heard, or you can stay and help us reforge that which had been broken, so long ago."

The room was silent in such a deafening way that Leona swore she could hear her own blood rushing through her veins.

A woman stood up.

Leona looked at her, recognizing her as the one who had thrown her sword to the ground first. "Eyreen," She called her name, as if inviting her to speak.

Green eyes landed on golden ones. "All of what you just said is controversial, to say the least, but I can't shake the idea off my mind; You  _lied."_ She said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Of all people,  _you_ lied. It puts what made me join you in the first place in question." After declaring that, she finally said, "I want to know one thing before I make any decisions. I want to know  _how_ this all happened;  _how_ you ended up siding with the Moon after hating her so thoroughly." And as she saw Leona open up her mouth, she said, "No, not from you." She looked at Diana. "From her."

Leona closed her mouth and looked at Diana.

With a nervous exhale, she stood up.

"Before I begin, I want you to know that I'm to blame for Leona's lies." She confessed, remembering that day clearly. "She wanted to announce it to the world, while I wanted to hide it as best as we could. I feared Eos would want to execute me for what could be considered the worst of sins and, like I had said that day," She looked at Leona, a sad smile on her lips. "Something that made me want to stay alive for as long as I could came up."

She moved towards the center, looking at them all in the eye before continuing, "If you knew me back then, when my hair was black and my eyes were blue and I was not known as the  _Night Demon_ but just as the  _Moon-addled Solari,_ , then you might remember I used to be a High Acolyte and Mistress Sekhet's protégée."

"Yeah, well," Another soldier interrupted her, standing up, "That didn't stop you from—"

"I will get to that point of the story soon." She cut him off quickly, anger seeping into her words. As she saw him sit down again, she sighed, bringing her hand to her face, rubbing her tired eyes. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this." She opened her eyes once more, "I can see how you all look at me; the fear, the disgust, the distrust and the doubt, all the things I make you feel. I cannot tell you my side of the story if you're not willing to listen. I've tried talking to someone unwilling before and it did not work." She said, feeling how Leona shifted uneasily next to her, knowing it wasn't a jab at her, but more of an example.

"Then don't look at them. Pay no mind."

Diana looked at Eyreen. "What do you mean?"

"I was the one who demanded the information, so you might as well address me and me alone." There was a hint of a smile on her lips. "I knew you back then and the relationship you shared with Sekhet. Knowing that, how Eos seemed to always be after you and after seeing how you acted on the battlefield, there's just a lot of things that don't make sense, that  _never_  made sense for me. For that, I'm free of it all. I don't fear you nor dislike you. I don't trust you, but I'm giving you the chance to earn that, now, so look at me in the eyes and tell me your part of the deal, because just like you, I just wish to understand."

And just like that, relief washed over Diana, like cold water on a hot summer day.

"She had been tasked with cleaning the Elders' section of the library, but since she didn't feel like doing it and trusted Helena and I enough, she handed the task over to us, so we went in there and started the cleanup. Most of the books were too old to be used; the inked had run all over the pages, time and dust vanishing it away until it wasn't legible anymore, so they were thrown away. Those which still were worth something weren't any better; they were written in the old tongue of our people, the Old Rakkor. I know you've learned it from Leona, for the Ra-Horak still use it, but in the Solari Temple  _no one_ speaks it. No one, but me."

She saw a few surprised looks, so she explained, "I found scrolls upon scrolls that did not demonize the Moon but, being all written in Old Rakkor, no one could read them. With the excuse that I was to be sent to the Ra-Horak, a thing which thankfully never happened, I started learning it, if only for the sake of being able to investigate further. Nobody in the Temple knew I could read it and speak it, for I kept it a secret, but I had my alibi ready just in case."

She started pacing as she remembered the past, "I started inspecting these books and nothing of use was to be found until one day, under the guidance of who I now know is my ancestor, I found a book that was very well kept. As good as new, if I recall correctly. Its' name was  _ **The Eternal Cycle**_ ," She said the name in its' original tongue, feeling a bit weird about talking in it after so long, "After reading tidbits of it, I realized it talked about things that made no sense to me, back then. I stole the book and, with Helena's help, we studied it. We found out many things. We found out about the Empyreans, about the blade that today I wield, about the two sacred guards, sworn to protect our people; The Ra-Horak and the Bloodmoon. After the Rite of Kor that I was forced to participate in, we also found out that, somehow, Eos knew at least some parts of all of this new information, so we decided the book talked  _at least_ some truth."

She looked up at the ceiling for a moment, the magic that kept the ceiling darkened during the day being weaker than usual, some sunlight managing to slip through it. "The book talked about a Temple the Sun had built for the Moon and we decided it would be the final proof of its' veracity, so, when Leona left the Temple to go to Demacia, I left it too, to climb Mount Targon and find the hidden Temple."

She looked at Eyreen once more. "I found it, images of the previous Chosens all over the place, so I ran back to the Solari Temple and tried to tell the Elders the truth, desperate to share the news that excited me; The Sun and the Moon were  _not_ enemies." She furrowed her brow, "But I was shunned. Eos ordered they captured me and when Sekhet and Akins tried to stand up for me, not because they believed me but to excuse my madness, he ordered they were taken to the dungeons." She looked at Leona, "Khait tried to save me and Eos murdered him." She closed her eyes. "When it was  _my_ time to die, I heard the voice of my ancestor telling me to  _let go_ and trust her." She looked into her eyes once more, "So I obeyed and allowed myself to be killed, only the fatal blow never came. When I tried to see what had happened, I found myself wielding an armor that was no mine, bearing a power that I did not understand and I couldn't control. In my fear I ran away, only to be chased by an already broken Leona." She could hear the sadness in her own voice. "It was already too late to protect her from his persuasion, so we remained enemies; she'd always come for me and I'd always try to escape. The chase of the Sun and the Moon that he led you all to believe."

"Until now."

Diana nodded. "Until now."

Eyreen frowned, thinking hard about something, before nodding vigorously. "Okay then." She said, "I've made my decision, thanks for that."

Diana raised a brow, unsure of what that meant. Sharing a long look with Leona, she couldn't keep it in, "And what have you decided?"

She snorted, "To be fair, there wasn't really a decision to be made, but if you really want to know, you have the third Empyrean, right here." She seemed to be struck by an idea, then, "Unless the so called  _Lunari_ were already part of it, then in that case I'm just a new recruit."

Bast silently chuckled at her tone, the word  _Lunari_ being carelessly thrown around. "We're glad we can abandon that name, now."

"Good!" Eyreen said, "Because it would have been  _really_ uncomfortable for me to accept being spoiled by your people, only to have them be  _your_ people and not  _our_ people."

The High Priest laughed louder, "Glad to know we're on the same page."

"The rest of you," Leona interrupted. "You also have a choice."

So Diana and Leona watched as they shifted on their seats, on their feet, talking to one another, actually thinking about all that had been said.

Minutes passed. Then hours. Eventually, Riven joined them downstairs, Fay by her side.

Diana and Leona did not say a word, their eyes following every moment the soldiers made.

They realized, then, that they were all looking at them, as if awaiting something.

None of them had left.

Leona stood up from her seat. "Is this what you all really want?" She asked them, slightly scared of the answer. "Do you really want to rebuild this with us?"

And they did not answer.

They smiled, instead.

So Leona laughed at their response, moving towards Diana, crushing her in an embrace.

Those who once were called Lunari cheered for their former enemies, moving towards them to greet them, as if they had all just met.

Leona called for silence, once more. "We're not done yet, brothers and sisters." She started, her tone more lighthearted than before. "We still have a man to bring down and a lot of eyes to open to the light."

"The trip to the Solari Temple will take a lot of time and resources," Riven commented, falling into that old habit of hers, the tactical thinking. "But we should leave before Eos can find out about what happened here; Demacia might open its' big mouth."

"The trip would not take more than a few hours." Diana commented, a sly smirk on her face. At the sight of Riven's confused expression, she explained, "The mirror located on the Main Hall is actually a portal to Mount Targon. Once we're all ready, Leona and I can activate it and we all can go through it."

"And thus we'd reach the Temple in no time." Leona finished for her. "For that reason, I want us all to take today to rest, leaving the marching for tomorrow. With that portal, we have advantage over Eos and his chances of getting suspicious, so there's no need to rush." She clapped her hands together then, "Consider yourselves dismissed, you bandits!"

And as everyone moved throughout the room, Solari meeting Lunari, warming up to each other in a way they were too afraid to do before, Riven gravitated towards Diana, a smile of pride on her lips.

"You did it great."

Diana snorted. "You weren't here for most of it."

"I was giving you and your girl the space you two need." She responded, finding a playful offense on Diana's words. "Let me know when you want me to be annoying, woman."

Diana laughed, shaking her head, "You have no idea of how much I love you, awful Noxian."

"Do  _not_ call me that."

"What,  _awful?"_

"No,  _Noxian."_ Riven said with a grimace. "Call me awful all you want."

And as they bantered, Diana saw Solari soldiers approach them.

Approach  _her._

Riven gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Seems you got admirers. I'll leave you be."

"You're abandoning me."

"Of  _course_ I am."

And despite her nerves, despite being surrounded by people who had wanted to kill her for so long, Diana felt at ease, honored and flattered at the curiosity she had sparked on them.

And, as she talked to them, feeling comfortable on her own skin, she caught sight of Leona.

She was staring at her unashamedly, a fool's smile on her lips.

It wasn't like it had been before.

It was better.

* * *

Diana felt drained. In a good way, but still drained.

Having spent most of the day talking to everyone, going from here to there, all she wanted was some time for herself.

 _Or some time for myself with Leona,_ she thought,  _but let's not push it so soon._

She had wandered back to her room, opening the door and closing it behind her. Finally feeling alone, she relaxed her body, stretching so as to let the stiffness out, rolling her shoulders backwards, hearing a  _pop_ somewhere on her spine, which made her let out a sigh of relief.

She heard her door open and close surprisingly quickly, prompting her to turn around only to find Leona leaning against it.

The sinful smile she wore revealed her intentions.

 _Maybe we_ should  _push it this soon._

Still, Diana liked to play naive, sometimes, give her the benefit of the doubt.

"What are you doing here?" She asked her, her hand going to her own neck, rubbing at a sore spot. "Tired of socializing, already?"

Leona's head lolled to a side, her eyes slowly roaming Diana's body, the auburn haired woman having no intentions to hide her unashamed staring. "Kind of. Had better things to do."

"Like walking into my room, unannounced  _and_ uninvited?" She teased.

"You and I switched rooms so, if I recall correctly, this one is  _mine."_ Leona countered, making Diana raise her brows, feeling like she had no way to answer to that.

Deciding for the easy way out, Diana rolled her eyes at her, turning around to ignore her.

But she was not allowed such an option, for Leona was already moving towards her, her hand landing on her shoulder and forcing her to turn to look at her, before pushing her against the wall behind them, trapping her there with her own body.

"Are we  _not_ going to talk about what would have happened had Bast not walked in on us?" She asked her in a husky voice, her lips against her ear, her hot breath making Diana shudder.

Diana didn't let go of her act, though. "I don't know," She said, her voice breaking at the seams, the contact being way too much for her to really focus. "What would have happened?"

Her hands were getting uneasy, moving from Diana's shoulders to her hips, applying pressure on their way there, "I would have claimed you for my own, right there and then."

"Claimed me?" Diana questioned, her own hands finding Leona's, stopping them on their exploration. "How so?"

Leona released one of her hands, only to bring it to Diana's neck, her fingers grazing her jaw, her palm pressing on it. "By making you moan my name so loudly everyone here in Ionia would have heard it."

Diana mimicked Leona, using her free hand to grip her by her neck, pushing her away a little bit, forcing the warrior's grip to falter. "I don't remember you being  _this_ aggressive." She said with no shake to her words, her voice being strong.

Encouraging.

"I  _do_ remember you saying you liked it  _rough,_ though."

Before speaking, Diana brought her a little bit closer, "I still do."

And it was all it took for Leona to give in.

She forcefully pressed her lips against Diana's, the mess she currently was making their teeth clatter for a minute, but neither of them cared as Leona's hand applied enough pressure for Diana to really feel it, her other one greedily grabbing her backside, the warrior pushing her leg in between the trapped woman's, making her gasp at the touch.

So much contact was rapidly becoming intoxicating for her, but Diana still responded to her motions, pushing her own thigh against Leona's crotch, licking her bottom lip as she ripped a moan from her mouth.

Taking advantage of Leona's moment of weakness, Diana flipped them, pushing the taller woman against the wall, her lips abandoning her mouth only leave a trail of kisses that moved from that mouth of hers to her collarbone, before coming back up and capturing her earlobe between her teeth, toying with it with her tongue.

Leona wanted more of that, of her, so she pulled her closer, whines of need being ripped out of her throat as she allowed herself a moment of weakness, letting Diana be in charge for a minute, relishing in the feeling of her tongue against her ear, of her thigh between her legs, her hands groping her unashamedly.

She heard her chuckle against her ear, the sound sending a tremble right to her very core. "I really like this," She heard her confess in a low, husky tone, while her hands swayed closer to her lower abdomen.

Leona couldn't form a coherent thought. "What?" She asked her without thinking, wishing Diana would just go  _lower—_

"How good you're being for me, behaving so properly."

That had triggered something inside Leona's brain.

Taking advantage of how Diana's cockiness made her loosen her grip, Leona quickly grabbed her by the back of her thighs, hoisting her up as she moved towards the bed, only to land on it, Diana's back hitting the mattress.

Leona quickly straddled her, pinning her down to the bed by her wrists, gripping them above her head.

" _You_ behave properly," Leona said, her need for control making her words sound like a growl.

She pushed her thigh against Leona's core once more, making her falter and close her eyes in pleasure, releasing her wrists.

She propped herself up on one of her arms and cupped Leona's jaw with her other hand, watching as the warrior's eyes fluttered open, her hunger for her body evident on those big pupils, on that glowing gold.

Leona was hypnotized by Diana, by those changes in her appearance that had once haunted her, but now attracted her.

She could only think of how the silver in those eyes had once been in her worst nightmares, putting the brave warrior in her to shame, making her cower behind golden armor and useless shields, craving to see then one day turn blue again.

She could only think of how the story was completely different now, those silvery eyes making her feel things no mortal should be allowed to feel.

Delicious sensations and sinful thoughts, plaguing her most intimate dreams with dark wishes and wandering hands, dirty sounds and the smell of pleasure all over the place.

And those glowing eyes looked wild, the ever growing darkness in them being alluring, calling for her.

"What are you looking at?" Diana asked her as she lost her patience.

And Leona had to chuckle as she let out a hushed, "You," Before kissing her once more, letting all of what she felt take control of her, making her lose her mind as her hands moved, her teeth bit, her tongue licked.

Leaving her manners aside, she had had enough of Diana on that flimsy robe she was on, so without any kind of warning, Leona placed her hands on Diana's abdomen, gripping the material tightly.

Breaking the kiss only to see into Diana's eyes, she had a wolfish smirk on as she ripped the clothing away.

Once she had thrown the fabric away, she didn't even try to pretend she had the strength not to look as she allowed her eyes to roam her body, her breath hitching at the sight of her.

She was beautiful.

All of her was; the soft skin, honed with years of battle against something only Diana and the night knew. She scars that covered it, both known to Leona and not. The way her chest rose and fell with her rapid breathing, product of the adrenaline she felt at the moment.

Leona pushed her back onto the mattress by her shoulders, not finding it in herself to resist such a sight, not wanting to, knowing Diana didn't want her to, either.

She placed her tongue on her chest, right in between her breasts, before licking her way up to Diana's lips again.

She smiled as Diana gripped her hair forcefully, pulling her towards her face and kissing her hard, pushing her tongue into her mouth, desperate for the contact.

Leona was more than happy to obey, shifting on her position so that she'd be closer to her lips, though she allowed her hands to wander.

She bit Diana's lip when she gasped as her hands came into contact with her breasts, no clothing to separate them now.

She applied pressure on them with her palms, before letting her fingertips graze against her nipples.

She licked the corner of Diana's mouth as she squirmed, craving more.

She swallowed the loud moan that she elicited from her as she pinched them, twisting them a bit, watching how Diana twisted with the motion, too.

She kept playing with her like that, kept torturing her, pushing her leg between hers, keeping contact against her crotch as she kept her little game up, kissing and biting and nibbling and licking and twisting and flicking, but never giving her more than that.

The hands that gripped at her hair grew restless, pulling hard enough that it hurt, the desire Diana felt and the impstience that came with it shining through her actions.

It turned her on too much to be true.

One of her hands wandered from Diana's breast, going lower on her body.

The smaller woman moaned at the contact as Leona pressed her palm against her core, her fingertips grazing her entrance.

Leona chuckled on Diana's ear, "What's the matter?"

Diana growled at her. "Stop playing."

And she was presented with a dilemma there; she wanted to take Diana, wanted to do it hard and fast to satiate a need she felt, like ages of withdrawal from a drug, the period being clean being broken at the offer of one hit.

But she also wanted to take her time, to savor it, to make Diana understand just how long it had been, how badly she had needed her, she had craved her.

She didn't really know what to do, but she knew what she  _wanted_ to do.

She connected her lips to Diana's once more, shifting their position, getting herself in between Diana's legs, her own thighs spreading the smaller woman's apart.

The hand she had on Diana's breast came to rest to the side of her head as she propped herself up with it, the physical contact still being there, but letting Leona hover over her, allowing for her other hand to do as she pleased.

And thus that hand, trapped between their bodies began to move.

She traced her slit with two fingers, moving up and down before stopping on her clit, rubbing it slowly.

Diana's eyes closed on their own accord as she moaned at the feeling, her mouth parted as she breathed through it.

Leona bit her lip, trying to keep herself in check.

Diana was looking at her, her hooded eyes searching for golden ones, then for that lip that was trapped between teeth as she reached and kissed Leona, only to come back down to the mattress with the Ra-Horak following her closely, letting her kiss her again.

She reached for Leona's head, one hand gripping at her hair, the other one on the back of her neck, necessity making her pull her close, touch her everywhere, buck her hips to the contact.

But Leona was teasing her, moving her lips away enough that they were barely touching, her hand's pressure faltering, the rhythm falling way too slow.

Having enough of her antics, Diana grabbed her by the neck and yanked her close, "We've been playing this game of cat and mouse for  _years,_ Leona." She said in a low, vicious voice. "You'd better sto—"

She was cut short by Leona as she slid two fingers inside of her, pushing them in as much as she could, her actions making her moan out instead.

Hearing Diana's complain set whatever demon was inside Leona free. "You want me to stop teasing you?" She asked her, her tone demanding, accusing, as she shifted to a more comfortable position, laying a bit to her left, her right hand too busy between Diana's legs, left one coming up to her face, "You want me to be  _rough?"_

" _Yes,"_ Diana quickly breathed out, her eyes fluttering close.

It was making Leona impatient.

She forced Diana's face against the mattress before grabbing her by the neck and squeezing, the tightness slowly increasing as she kept thrusting into her, her pace growing erratic as she started to go faster, her palm touching Diana's clit each time she was deep inside of her.

She saw Diana grab that hand that was choking her, before looking at her and moaning out a loud, " _Harder."_

Leona's  _knew_ she was wet. Diana had that ability, to turn her into a mess without even touching her.

She happily obliged, her thrusting becoming harder, rougher, even using her thigh to help her to push, her grip on Diana's neck tightening even more.

She look on Diana's face was driving her insane with need.

She wanted to get her off.

She started curling her fingers every time she pushed in, dragging them on the way out, moaning at the way Diana's cries of pleasure grew louder, going from being simple sounds to being a perfectly clear  _Leona._

And that was all that could be heard in the room; Leona's panting and moaning, her name coming out of Diana's lips, louder each time.

She kissed Diana hard on the mouth, sucking on her bottom lip, eager to mark her, to bruise her, to leave evidence of the pleasure she made her feel.

She felt Diana's hands grabbing her by her shoulders, her fingers digging deep, pulling her closer.

Leona stopped choking the girl, her hand going to Diana's hair and grabbing a handful, bringing her even closer, swallowing each moan she let out.

She tried to pull away, to get in a different position, but found herself unable to do so as Diana clinged to her like dear life, those fingers still inside her as they reached a sitting position, Diana straddling Leona's legs.

She was way too turned on to even think, though.

Obliging to the silent demand, she kept pushing inside of her, kept pulling her hair and moved her lips to her neck, licking and biting and sucking, moaning at how Diana rocked her hips against her, her moaning being loud once more as her mouth was devoid of anything to keep her quiet.

Only she wasn't saying her name this time.

It did not please her.

"Say my name," Leona ordered her, the command a gruff bark against her neck.

" _Leona,"_ Diana automatically obliged, scratching at her neck, at her head, moaning louder at the sound of Leona's mewling. " _Leona,"_

"Say it  _louder."_

" _Leona!"_ Diana was crying out, feeling herself on the brim, her rocking becoming faster, rougher, more desperate—

Leona kissed her as she moaned her name one last time, louder than before, feeling how Diana's grip became impossibly strong on her hair, how she clenched tight around her fingers as she came.

She kept moving, kept pushing in and pulling out, her pace becoming slower each time, easing Diana out of her high.

Her strength died out after a few minutes of holding tight, the Lunar warrior letting go of Leona, falling back onto the mattress, her breathing ragged, her chest moving up and down fast.

Leona felt as high as her, Diana's reactions to her every action being enough to throw her into such a state.

Slowly, she moved towards her, laying close to her side, watching the pale girl breath through her mouth, her eyes closed.

Those eyes opened, revealing that piercing silver, foggy with the aftermath of bliss. At the sight of Leona's stare, Diana smiled, a wild thing on her face as she tried to remember how to breathe.

It was contagious, for Leona smiled, too.

"What?"

"I'm just wondering, how long do you need to recover?" Leona asked her, chuckling at the confused look on Diana's blissful expression, "Because I just want to make you feel and look like that over and over and over again."

"No." Diana sentenced.

Before Leona could complain, finding strength seemingly out of nowhere, Diana got on top of her, looking down from her sitting position on Leona's lap.

She raised a brow at the woman underneath her. "Why are you still dressed?"

Leona tried to sit up, "Because I—"

Diana pushed her back down instantly. "It's  _my_ turn." Her hand wandered to Leona's neck, keeping her down by it, against the mattress, she got low enough they were sharing a breath, "You aren't the only one who has been waiting for this, darling."

Leona's eyes locked on those lips, so close to hers yet still not close enough. " _Waiting_ for—"

"Maybe even acted upon such dirty, dirty dreams." She confessed in a hushed voice, coming closer to Leona's mouth, her lips touching the woman's skin but never settling, moving from one place to the other.

Leona felt her whole throat go dry, her brain struggling to keep up with Diana's words. "Acted upon—"

"Nights alone would get so difficult without you," Diana purred into her ear, her breath washing over the exposed part of her neck, "But with memories, a bit of imagination and my own hand, I managed to survive."

And then Diana heard Leona mumble something intelligible, so she hovered over her lips again, "What was that?"

" _Please,"_ Leona let out in a shaky whisper. "Just—"

"Just what?" Diana interrupted, her hands leaving a trail all over the woman's body, a ghost touch of sorts.

" _Just fuck me,"_ Leona blurted out, begging for her to quit the playing.

Diana smiled, licking her lips, "Your wish is my command."

She sat up in one quick motion and mimicked what Leona had done before, ripping the warrior's clothes apart in one fast maneuver, throwing them away without even looking at them, finding something far more important to stare at.

Unlike Leona, she didn't waste her time as she got close once more, kissing the warrior roughly on the mouth, letting her hands touch the tan skin that now was glued to hers.

She relished on the throaty sounds Leona made as she touched and groped and squeezed and possessed, rewarding her with licks and bites to her neck every time she mewled, she whined, she moaned.

Without much warning, Diana lowered her head until it was above Leona's chest, smiling at the woman, not before giving her breasts an appreciative look. "Excited much?" She asked, her fingers already toying with one of her nipples.

Leona tried to look at her, tried to say  _yes,_ but Diana suddenly stopped playing around, putting her hand against Leona's neck and pushing upwards, forcing her face away, not letting her look.

Before Leona could understand what was going on, she felt Diana's tongue licking her nipple.

And before she could ease into the feeling, Diana's lips were around it as she licked hard and fast, circling her nipple with her tongue, sucking hard on it, all the while without releasing her head.

Leona moaned, squirming as she tried to get a look at Diana, but that hand on her neck pushed more forcefully, Diana stopping on her ministrations for a brief second, letting out a strong, " _No."_ Before continuing with her task.

Before Leona could get used to the sensations, Diana moved onto the other breast, using her free hand to continue what she had started on the first one.

That was when Leona moaned the first, loud " _Diana,"_

She looked up at the warrior at the sound. "Good girl," She said, her breath washing over the sensitive skin, "Keep that up and you'll make me happy."

Leona felt too much heat between her legs, already beyond the point of it being uncomfortable. "Do I  _want_ to make you happy?"

Diana chuckled, the sound low, predatory. "You do."

So Leona obeyed her, trying not to fight the hand that kept her locked in place, arching her back against Diana's ministrations, wishing to feel more, but always carefully obeying and going at Diana's rhythm.

But despite doing everything as commanded to, Leona suddenly felt Diana's absence over her body, the hand on her neck disappearing, too.

She tried to prop herself up to look at her.

She was brought back down to the mattress as Diana pulled her by her ankles, bringing her to the end of the bed.

Leona quickly tried to sit up, managing to do so right on time to see Diana sinking to her knees.

"What are you doing?" She asked her despite knowing the answer, suddenly too aware of how wet she was, self conscious of the mess she had between her legs.

Diana didn't answer, looking at her with hooded eyes, before looking down, smirking and raising a brow at the warrior.

It made Leona nervous. "I—"

" _Shut up."_ Diana commanded, her hands grabbing Leona's knees and spreading her legs apart.

She kept her eyes on Leona's as she got her hands on Leona's backside, her fingers digging into her rear as she scooted as close as possible.

She didn't deprive herself as she dived in, placing her tongue flat against Leona's core, giving it a long lick upwards before coming down on the same line.

Tasting her arousal, Diana moaned against Leona's skin, enjoying the sinful sounds coming out of Leona's throat, the warrior falling back against the mattress, her hands instinctively going to Diana's hair.

She lost her wits as Leona gripped with strength, pulling from it, the pleasure spiked with pain being always more of her preference, more tortuously enjoyable.

She licked off all of Leona's wetness before circling her clit with the tip of her tongue, closing her eyes in pleasure as the warrior was driven insane by it.

By  _her._ Driven insane by her, by her hand, by her mouth, by her tongue. Her and only her.

Nothing could ever beat that feeling.

So she kept going, picking up her pace, moaning as loud as Leona every time she said  _Diana, Diana, Diana_ like a prayer to some higher power, her hands grasping desperately, raking her nails all over the woman's scalp, wishing she'd be closer even if she couldn't, arching her back, sweat coating her skin—

She cried out as she felt Diana wrap her lips around it, sucking on it hard.

" _Yes,"_ She moaned in response to a question she hadn't been asked, " _Yes, Diana,"_

And she kept repeating it, kept telling her to go on, to keep doing that, to keep sucking hard, to keep groping her and digging her fingers into her flesh and devouring her body like she was ravenous—

Her breath got caught in her throat as Diana shifted, replacing her bottom lip with her tongue, still sucking but now being able to lick thoroughly too, hitting a spot Leona doubted she had even known about before.

She didn't last long after that, crying out Diana's name as she clamped her legs down on her lover's back, bringing her close, keeping her in place as she came, her muscles spasming with the feeling, her head feeling lighter as she finally relaxed.

Breathing heavy, she flinched as she felt Diana's tongue on her one more time, licking her up, taking her arousal off her.

Crawling back onto the bed, Diana moved towards Leona, a cocky smirk on her face.

Leona licked her chin, glistening with the aftermath of what had just happened, before kissing her, licking her lips, her tongue, anything and everything that had just been used to please her.

"I won't lie," Leona started after a minute, still trying to ease her beating heart. "With how you were behaving, I thought you were going to pound into me instead of doing  _that."_

Diana raised a brow. "Are you telling me I made the wrong decision?"

" _Gods_ no." Leona said, horrified that Diana would think that. "Please, just do whatever the Hell you want with me."

Diana laughed, laying on top of her, keeping her head up with her hand if only to stare into golden eyes. "If I'm honest, I just don't think you're ready for what I  _really_ want to do to you, just yet."

Leona blinked at that. "Okay, consider me both very scared and very intrigued." She said, making the other woman laugh. "You could threaten me with murder and I'd beg you for it, though, Diana."

She smiled against that sweet spot on her neck, between her ear and her jaw. "I'll give you a taste later."

"Does that mean we get round two, tonight?" Leona asked her, a yawn escaping her mouth right after.

Diana kissed her, "I think you just answered your own question, sunshine." She said, before yawning herself. "We've got all the time in the world, no need for rushing." She frowned, "Unless you plan on leaving."

Leona snorted. "Yeah, I plan on leaving." She said, smirking as she added, "On leaving marks all over your neck."

Diana kissed her once more, "Don't do it or else I'll have to punish you." She teased, unable to fight the smile on her lips.

" _Gods,"_ Leona said, the muscles on her thighs tightening for a brief second, "Don't say things like that if you're not willing to do it  _right now_ and  _don't_ use  _that_ tone either."

"Why not?" Diana asked her, the same husky voice as before. "Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"Uncomfortably horny, maybe."

Diana laughed, closing her eyes as she laid her head on Leona's chest. "I'll take care of that in the morning, if you're nice."

"In the morning? We have an invasion to carry out."

"Is that quitter talk?"

Leona remained quiet. Then, she let out a quick "Okay, goodnight, talk to you in the morning!" Making Diana laugh at her antics.

And then, as silence settled over them, as Leona's hand on Diana's back slowly stopped scratching, her breathing deepening, Diana kissed Leona's neck one more time, relaxing against her.

Hiding away from the Moon, for once.

For tomorrow they'd have to race the Sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit long, I know, but I hope it was enjoyable!  
> Much love.


	43. Chapter 43

Breathe in.

_This is amazing._

Breathe out.

_This is amazing._

Repeat.

_For the rest of my life._

_This is amazing._

The Moon had already left the sky, twilight nearing its' time.

Diana had woken up a few minutes ago, her heart racing at the fact that Leona was still there.

Still underneath her.

Still hugging her close, her hand on her back.

Still sleeping, her face turned towards her.

It had not been a dream, a fantasy, an hallucination; Leona was  _there,_ flesh and bone, dry sweat on her skin, her breathing making her chest rise and fall, her eyes closed, her mouth slightly open.

And she was beautiful.

 _And she is_ mine.

Staying there with Leona for a few more minutes, Diana allowed her fingertips to trace the muscles on the slumbering woman's body, years of training having given her a toned body not anyone could own.

Sure, she liked it  _physically,_ but there was way more to it than just that. She admired her  _strength,_ her  _confidence,_ her…

Her  _everything,_ really.

Carefully enough so as not to startle her, Diana disentangled herself from Leona, sitting on the edge of the bed, stretching her arms over her head, trying to ease some tension off her stiff back, moving a bit so as to let her spine pop in a few different places, the feeling making her sigh in relief.

She was taken by surprise as she suddenly felt gentle movement on the bed, feeling how Leona pressed herself against her back, her arms snaking around her waist, her head resting on her shoulder.

"I don't remember you being an early bird." The Sun warrior commented, her voice croaky with the spell of sleep still on her.

Diana sighed as she laid back against Leona's chest, "I could have sworn you were asleep."

She felt Leona's slow smile against her neck, her breath washing over her as she mumbled, "Well, I was promised something if I behaved correctly and woke up early, so here I am."

Diana laughed silently. "Leona, we've got duties to attend to."

She watched as Leona's hands moved, one going up to her breasts, the other one going lower. "Well," She heard the warrior begin to say, her hands both finding their marks, making her sigh, laying her head back, "It's not even morning yet. I'd say we have some more time before it."

Despite trying to pretend resistance, even with those fingers slowly moving around, Diana chuckled, turning her head towards Leona's, "Don't you think this is a bit unwise?"

Leona gave her lips a lick before saying, "Do  _you?"_

And Diana would have said yes, were it not for Leona's fingers entering her without warning.

She moaned out loud, but Leona's other hand quickly found her mouth, covering it. " _Shhh,"_ She silenced her, "It's early and everyone's sleeping. Wouldn't want to wake them up like this, would you?"

Diana pulled that hand away from her mouth, Leona's fingers slowly moving in and out of her. "You didn't care about it last night, what changed your mind?" She ask her rather breathless, losing her focus as Leona kept going.

Leona smiled against her lips. "The fact that I know that you can be loud. Now I want to see if you can be  _quiet."_

"What makes you think I can't—"

She couldn't finish the sentence, for Leona plunged her fingers deep into her roughly, making her cry out, Leona's hand shooting up to her mouth again.

" _You_ make me think you can't."

And Diana didn't try to move that hand anymore.

Leona kept going, staring into those silver eyes that wanted to shut close, but their owner didn't let them, trying to keep them open, locked on golden ones.

She picked up her pace a bit but didn't give Diana what she wanted, knowing exactly how her lover liked it, eager to please, but to make her suffer for it, denying her the freedom of her voice.

Eventually, Diana started to attempt to move her hand, no strength to be found in her own.

Leona obliged, moving it where she wanted it.

Her neck.

" _Here,"_ She breathed out, trying to be silent.

Leona watched her for a minute, then a smile formed on her lips.

"I have a better idea, but you  _must_  remain quiet, or else I'll stop. Understood?"

Diana nodded, knowing that if she said yes, she'd have to scream it.

And so she watched as that free hand snaked its' way down too.

Diana frowned at it, breathing fast, doing her best to keep her voice from being heard. She looked at Leona, who simply smiled and motioned for her to keep watching.

Diana's fingers dug into Leona's thighs as the warrior started rubbing circles on her clit, the motion in rhythm with the thrusting, going fast as she went harder and faster, not caring to tease her for that long.

Diana craned her neck a bit and hid her face on the junction of Leona's neck and shoulder.

She had to bite her lip to keep from screaming herself when she bit down,  _hard._

Not because of the pain, but because of the pleasure.

She rewarded Diana with more speed, more strength, even if she didn't know where to get it from.

But after a little while, not even that was enough, for she started to rock her hips to Leona's messy rhythm, though she did not let go of her neck, her teeth still digging into her skin, like her fingers on her thighs.

And then Leona heard how, despite being quiet, despite it being muffled, Diana was growling against her skin.

" _Fuck."_

She kept going, even with her own lust, her own desire, her own needs fogging up her mind.

She kept going as she felt Diana coming close.

"Already?" She tried to tease her.

She almost swallowed her own tongue as Diana bit harder in response.

Feeling her clenching tight around her fingers, Leona lost her tempo, both hands becoming erratic, until Diana's body twitched with the intensity, her breathing becoming heavier as she was pushed over the edge, her orgasm washing over her.

Minutes had to pass until they both stopped moving, Diana finally releasing her neck, Leona finally pulling out of her, making Diana flinch once more.

She brought her fingers up to her lips, but Diana caught her hand and pushed them into her own mouth, sucking them clean, enjoying how Leona's eyes glued themselves to her, her mouth open in a silent gasp at her actions.

"That was mine." She said after Diana released her fingers, a content smile on her lips.

"You weren't planning on sharing."

She frowned at the smirking woman before kissing her forcefully, making her moan into the kiss, before breaking it, a triumphant smile on Leona as she said, "There. Shared."

Before Leona could become aware of it, Diana turned around and slammed her against the mattress, smirking at the bewildered look on Leona's face, the wild eyes, the crazy grin.

"Turn around."

It took her by surprise. "What?"

Diana grabbed her by the shoulder and forced her to turn, laying belly down on the bed. " _Turn around."_ She explained, her voice low against Leona's ear.

Leona tried to get up, raising herself on her forearms and knees—

She froze when she felt Diana's hand ghost over her core, feeling nothing else but that faint touch.

"If you make a sound, you get punished."

"How would you—"

She fell mute at the feeling of nails raking their way up her back, grabbing a fistful of hair.

"I have my ways," Diana said, her other hand already teasing Leona's entrance, one of her fingers touching her ever so gently, but enough that she could feel it against her.

Then, hoping to make Leona scream, Diana pushed it in until she reached her knuckle.

Leona did not make a sound.

Diana raised her brows, both pleased and disappointed. "Good display of control, right there." She commented, before adding a finger and going as fast as she could.

She heard her gasp.

She pulled from Leona's hair so strongly that the warrior got up from her position, her head coming to level with Diana's.

"Your turn to shut up, love."

Leona wanted to complain, "I just—"

She was silenced by another hard tug.

She couldn't say she didn't like it.

 _Gods,_ the very moment Diana used that authoritative tone with her she knew she'd become addicted to it and she hadn't been wrong in her guess.

So she let Diana fuck her hard and fast, keeping her on edge with every tug of her hair, every thrust of those fingers, the lack of contact being both intoxicating and devastating as the Lunar warrior fucked her from behind.

She came undone before twilight was over, prompting Diana to pull out and push her back against the mattress, waiting for Leona to turn in the bed and look up at her before licking her fingers clean.

Leona felt lightheaded at the sight.

"Come on," Diana said, suddenly getting up and out of the bed, Leona following her every movement, her every curve with her gaze, "It's time to move."

Her head hit the mattress as she let it fall back. "I don't know whether I love you or hate you right now."

Diana chuckled, the sound making Leona smile. "I'd say you love me," Diana commented as she dried her sweat off with a spare robe, getting her armor ready, "You can't fool me by saying otherwise."

Leona stared at her from the bed, raising a brow at the smaller woman. "Getting dressed, without taking a bath first?" She questioned, "They're going to smell the sex on us. We should clean ourselves up."

Diana glared, though there was no real anger on her gaze. "If we take a bath  _together,_ we both know how that's going to end. I'd rather have them smell you on me."

And Leona once more stared at the ceiling, biting her own lip because  _Gods,_ she wanted everyone to smell her on Diana.

_Because she is mine._

"Okay, I won't bathe either then. Let them smell  _you_ on  _me."_

_Because I am yours._

Diana couldn't help but chuckle at that, shaking her head. "You're silly."

"And you love it."

She had finished getting her armor on, so she approached the bed once more, taking a seat to Leona's side, a fond smile on her lips.

"Yeah, I do."

* * *

The Main Hall of the Temple was filled to the brim with people. Former Solari warriors, former Lunari priests, two Celestials, one Noxian exile and every other Empyrean who was not fit to fight, but couldn't believe what they were witnessing; The two who had been Chosen, together in the same team.

Their two Goddesses, finally joined under one banner that now hung from every corner of the Temple, Lunari flags with its' Lunar symbol being replaced by another, the Moon's sigil contained inside the Sun's.

The Empyrean's symbol. Their emblem, their banner.

And pure silence at the marvelous sight.

Diana and Leona stood by the Mirror, everyone else standing right in front of them, facing them, Riven casually making her way throughout the crowd, not caring about formalities as she moved towards Diana and Leona.

"Good morning," Diana let out the greeting with a smile as the white haired warrior approached.

She saw Riven roll her eyes as she snorted, before taking her rightful place right next to Diana, to her right, for Leona was to her left. "Good morning, alright." She responded, a suggestive tone on her words.

Diana frowned at her, "What's the matter?" She asked.

Riven smirked, a knowing look to her eye. "I'll answer when you answer me this; what's the matter with your  _voice?"_

And then she turned red, for her voice was somewhat gone, croaky as if she had been  _screaming._

Diana looked away, prompting a laugh out of Riven, "I mean, I heard it  _all,_ Diana. After all, I sleep next door and the walls are thin."

Even her ears were red.

But she didn't have time to retort, to say something at her, for the doors to the Temple suddenly opened, making everyone look at the intruder.

Captain Irelia Lito walked in, a hard frown etched upon her features as she walked towards the Celestials, the crowd opening as she made her way, letting her through, her gait powerful enough to intimidate even the strongest of them, her personal guard following her.

She stood right in front of the three of them, studying them for a minute, for this was the first time they saw each other after the battle.

"Greetings, Captain." Leona said, a nervous smile on her lips.

Irelia glared at her. "You come into my city escorting a Noxian. We offer you and your people food and shelter, a chance to stay due to your status. We  _ignore_ the fact that you brought the former  _Hand of Noxus_ here and all you do in response is wreak havoc, making not one but  _three_ different armies clash in our doorstep, the  _Noxians_ being one of them." She narrowed her eyes even more. "Do not  _greet_ me, Sun's Aspect."

Leona lowered her head a bit, shame dusting her cheeks a bright red. "Apologies, but—"

"But apologies always come late," Irelia finished for her. "I don't care if this was all unplanned and impossible to predict; it happened because of  _your_ presence in  _my_ country, so you're the guilty ones in my book." She moved closer to Diana and Leona, standing right in front of both of them, her eyes deadly looking. "Once you two cross that gate to whatever place is your destination, you're not welcome in here for a  _long_ time. Until your matters are resolved and both Demacians and Noxians aren't on your trail, at least."

Diana and Leona were deadly silent.

Irelia moved towards Riven, "And you," She said as she stood right in front of her, making the Noxian who had been staring at the ground look up, though she did not make eye contact, keeping her sight straight ahead, respect for the Captain making her stand straight, like a soldier ready to lay her life down for her superior.

Irelia looked for her eyes, moving into her line of vision.

She found them.

She could see the familiar look of anxiety, even  _fear,_ hiding behind apparently strong red.

"Once your help is no longer needed by the Empyreans, I want you to come back to Ionia."

She saw those feelings melt almost instantly, her throat move as she gulped.

"What for, if I may ask?" Riven dared say in a hushed voice.

"I just believe that you and I have a lot to talk about."

And then she saw something else arise in those eyes, saw them light up with hope at her words.

Irelia put her hand on Riven's shoulder. "You fought valiantly." Letting her hand fall back down, she turned to leave, "The offer will stand for as long as you need to take it." She called over her shoulder, before stopping midway to the doors, looking at them for a second before adding, "Safe travels and good luck."

And after that, just as quickly as she arrived, she was gone.

Diana slowly turned her head to look at her. "Let me see if I got this right.  _I'm_ the one who's not welcome but  _you_ are even  _invited_ to come back? How's that even possible?"

Riven laughed, her nerves making her body feel light. "I'd answer with something clever, but I'm trying to process what just happened."

Then she felt the woman's hand on her back, prompting her to look into silver eyes. "I'm really happy for you, Riven." A fond smile on her lips as she added, "You deserve your second chance."

"But that comes later," Riven answered trying to shake off the feeling of hopefulness that trapped her heart, getting serious all of a sudden, "Right now, we have to come up with a plan. Leona," She called her attention, making the warrior look at her with raised brows. "Have you two thought of something?" She asked them both.

Leona frowned. "I want to march into the Temple without spilling blood, if possible, Eos' being the only exception." She said, a strong voice on her chest, allowing everyone to hear her. "There's no need to shed innocent blood; everyone else is under his control, they don't really know what they're doing."

"And we  _must_ rescue Sekhet and Akins," Diana stated, "And I  _won't_ fight until I secure Helena's safety."

Leona stared at Diana with wide eyes at the mention of her friend. "I forgot about her."

Diana was clenching her teeth. "I could never."

"Since most of our troops own and are forced to wear Solari armor for that's all we have, maybe we could actually walk into the Temple without having to fight." Riven said, making them both look at her, the Noxian barely acknowledging everyone else's stares.

Leona could see she had a plan. "What are you thinking about?"

Riven smiled at her, the tranquil Exile completely gone, the former Leader of the most terrifying army of Runeterra taking her place as she paced right in front of them, a cold, calculating look in her eye. "Picture you, Leona, Heroine of the Solari, walking into your Temple with none other but the  _Scorn of the Moon_ as your prisoner, having finally caught her after years of hunting." She said, her eyes darting from Leona to Diana. "And not only that, but your  _Solari troops_ bring  _Lunari prisoners,_ too." She added as she turned, gesturing at the rest of the Empyreans. "You walk right into the heart of the Temple, in front of this Eos man and when he  _least_ expects it, you  _kill_ him."

Leona considered her words, an analyzing look to her eye as she thought about the plan, picturing it in her head. "It's actually pretty good, but we're going to need reinforcements; the Temple has more guards and scholars than ever and they outnumber us."

But Riven's mind had been perfectly wired for strategy, for something else far greater than just battle, for she had already considered such a scenario. "You said the Ra-Horak will only answer to  _you,_ right?"

Leona could see where she was going. "Yes."

"Do you think they'll listen to you if you tell them you need to, let's say,  _betray_ the Solari?"

"Once I tell them about Khait's real death, absolutely."

Riven smirked, "Then that solves that issue."

"There's only one problem," Diana started, making them both look at her, "Who's going to sneak into the dungeons and rescue Sekhet and Akins? More importantly, who's going to look for Helena in the Temple?"

Leona frowned, "I don't even know where the dungeons are."

"No, because entry to it is forbidden to anyone but the Elders and specific guardsmen." Diana commented, "I mean, you  _could_ enter if you wished, but entry is avoided as much as possible. Only a handful know where it is."

Riven raised her brow, "And I'll take it you  _know?"_

Diana smirked, "I'll have you know that I've been marked off as a  _heretic_ way before being the  _Scorn._  I've been punished enough times in my life as a Scholar to have been thrown into the dungeons enough times that I know its' layout."

Riven looked at Leona, "Are you  _sure_ nobody else knows it?"

Leona shook her head. "Like the palm of their own hand, like Diana probably does?" She ignored the heated look Diana gave her, "No."

"So Diana is the only one who can actually search for them…"

"You'd need to take someone with you, reinforcements of sorts," Leona said, earning a raised brow from Diana. "Someone who can help you rescue the Elders and find Helena. Better be safe than sorry."

"Right, and the  _Lunari surrender_ could work as a perfect distraction." Diana reasoned, thinking it could all fit perfectly.

"But without you we're left empty handed," Riven responded. " _Your_ capture would be what would keep absolutely all Solari eyes on us while someone else works behind the scenes.  _Your_ surrender is what is important enough to cause the distraction and allow the easy entry into the Temple. Without you as the protagonist of the act, we're left with no act whatsoever."

"Well, no one can get into the dungeons but me," Diana repeated once more, both of them seeing the problem they were faced with.

They didn't notice Leona's eyes, going from one of them to the other, analyzing, studying, then reaching an idea. "I think I have a solution for that matter," She commented, a sly smirk resting on her lips.

Riven and Diana looked at each other with confusion on their faces before looking at her, "Which one?"

"I'll tell you later, for now, we have reinforcements to look for."

_**You** _ **love** _**being mysterious, don't you?** _

Leona's smirk grew in size.  _Just like you love being dramatic, darling._

"I think that settles it then," Riven said, trusting Leona's plan, for she looked confident about it. Looking at Diana, she added, "Should we go?"

Diana looked at Leona, who shrugged and answered at the silent question in her eyes. "It's your turn to take the lead, sunshine. Are we ready to go?"

So Diana turned, seeing how  _all_ eyes were on her.

She gulped, hating the feeling of being on the spotlight, but deciding that being true to herself should suffice. "Don't act like you haven't heard us," She said, her tone rather lighthearted, slightly nervous. "Are we ready to go?"

Everyone roared their agreement.

So they stopped delaying their parting as both the Sun and the Moon touched the Mirror and opened the gate, warriors of different origins going through it, before Diana and Leona did so themselves.

They didn't stop moving, didn't stop marching until they were at Mount Targon's base and even then, most soldiers wanted to keep moving.

Diana's mercy made her wish to let them rest, but Leona's belligerence, backed by Riven's logic, forced them to keep moving, resting only after walking away from the Solari Temple, already nearing the Ra-Horak camp.

And in the middle of the Night, it had not been Leona who Diana had sought.

It had been Riven.

The warrior was walking around their small, temporary camp, securing their resting spot, when she saw Diana approach. "Thought you'd be with Leo."

Diana smirked, a teasing look on her face, "When did  _Sun Bitch_ become  _Leo?"_

Riven stopped walking around, turning to see Diana in the eye, understanding what she was doing. "I'm not mad at you, Diana." She said, raising her brows a bit, as if surprised that the woman even wondered about it. "I'm not mad about it, I don't even feel bad about it, if that's what you're afraid of."

Diana took two quick steps towards her, "But Riven—"

"It was as much a distraction for me as it was for you." She finally confessed, a certain surrender in her eyes. "Look, I was weak and you offered a comfort that I hadn't felt in quite a long time. Stuff like that happens, sometimes." She sighed, "We both knew what the other really desired."

Diana took one final step forwards. "We both know  _who_ the other desires." She corrected, circling the other girl, "I know who's inside your head even as you sleep, Riven."

Riven chuckled, the sound devoid of any mirth. "Yeah, and right now is that fucking traitor I used to call a  _friend."_

Diana grimaced at the anger in her voice. "Do you know where he hides?"

"No and right now I don't want to know." Riven barked, making Diana flinch at her words. Upon seeing her reaction, she sighed. "I'm sorry Di, but I'm really  _not_ in the mood for any kind of chatter whenever Cyrus crosses my mind."

And Riven couldn't help it as she flinched when Diana wrapped her arms around her, "I promise that I'll pay my debt to you."

Riven relaxed, "What do you mean?"

Diana pulled away, looking into red eyes. "I will not forget all you've done for me, how much you've helped me." Determination filled her as she talked, "Once this is over, welcome in Ionia or not, I'm helping you with whatever you must do."

Riven chuckled, releasing herself from Diana only to be the one wrapping her arms around the other. "I don't doubt it. After all," She said, pulling away only to regard her with a raised brow. "You're my dearest friend."

Diana rolled her eyes. "And the only one you've got."

Riven pushed her suddenly, smiling at the laughing Diana. "Excuse you, I've got  _two_ friends now." At the sight of Diana's questioning look, she said the name. "Fay is my friend."

Diana huffed a laugh. "That girl wants to be friends with your bedsheets." She told her, making Riven frown at her, letting out a confused  _No she doesn't,_ only for Diana to continue talking. "By the  _Gods,_ Riven, I thought  _I_ was the one oblivious to that kind of stuff."

Shaking her head, trying to be subtle about her blush, Riven cut it out. "Enough. Back to the camp."

Diana shrugged. "Whatever you say, Commander."

"Shut up."

Diana snickered in response.

Going back to their camp, as the Night settled, they rested for what was to come, the Ra-Horak tribe being close enough that they'd all arrive before noon the next day.

* * *

They didn't have to go to the tribe's camp, for the tribe had come to them.

As they woke from their slumber and sneaked out of their tents in an attempt to get some sunlight, every Empyrean had to contain their breath as swords, axes and spears were pressed against their necks, a silent order to keep quiet, to stay still being implied and understood.

Diana came out only to have the tip of a blade threatening to cut her neck, so she froze, not even breathing.

It wasn't long before Leona came out of the same tent too, freezing at the sight.

The sword that aimed for Diana's throat faltered. "Well, what should I make of this?"

"I knew I should have seen this coming." Leona mused out loud, easing her stance, letting her fear out. "Relax, Althea. There's no need."

The Ra-Horak lowered her blade, though she sported a frown of confusion on her face. "I must admit I was not expecting to see you, though I should have imagined something, considering the Solari scattered amongst these people." She looked at Diana, a glare on her face, not aimed as her as much as the circumstances they were in, "Nice to see you're alive."

Diana nodded. "Nice to see you too." She said, shock still in her voice.

Althea did not respond, a warrior's focus on her eyes as she looked at Leona once more, "So, did you two finally make up? What sealed the deal?" She questioned, that final bit carrying a certain weight that Diana had been unable to read, though Leona understood perfectly.

So she crossed her arms, giving her answer to the implied interrogant first. "She didn't do it. It was the Solari Leader."

" _ **Ra-Horak! Sheathe your weapons!**_ " Althea roared as she put her own blade away, "I knew it," She breathed out, regarding Diana once more, a small smirk on her lips. "I always knew you were in our team. Didn't make sense for me, every time I pictured you doing it."

"And that's exactly why I'm here, Althea." Leona replied, determination in her eye. "We have a plan to march into the Temple and kill Eos, but we might need reinforcements."

"You know the Ra-Horak do not follow the Solari; we follow the Commander." She had an impish smile on her lips as she said, "And that's  _you,_ now."

"How it should be." Leona stretched her back a bit, easing the tension contained on her spine before addressing her once more, "There's so much more to the story, but there's no time for that now. Gather your men and follow us to the Temple."

Althea nodded her head, a soldier following orders. "Yes, Commander."

So their temporary stop was quickly dismantled and after the initial scare, Ra-Horak marched alongside Empyreans towards the Solari Temple.

Judging by her calculations, Leona guessed they'd arrive around midnight.

_Fitting._

"Leona?"

She turned her head to see Diana, a contemplative look on her face as her eyes stared at the ground ahead of them, unfocused, her body relaxed, her arms swaying with every step she took.

She smirked as she placed her arm around her shoulders, bringing her close. "Yes?"

Diana looked at her, that calm demeanor still up. "I don't know if anybody told you, but I didn't spend all of the time you were out by your side."

Leona remembered Riven mentioning something about that matter. "Yeah, you were gone for, what? Ten minutes?" She asked, watching as Diana nodded. "What about it?"

"You never knew why."

"Is it  _that_ important for me to know?"

"I told you I never saw Khait leave this realm, didn't I?"

And Leona's heart dropped, her blood rushing out of her face.

Leona kept looking at her with big eyes and a tranquil expression. "After the battle, he came looking for me. He sat by your side and said he was ready to go." She smiled. "He told me he had been waiting for you to use your brain and think properly for once and that he had vowed not to leave until he saw you do it. Seems he did. He's proud of you."

And Leona looked away, then, not wishing to show the weakness she felt, the tears that fell.

But Diana would have none of it as she gripped her chin and forced her to look right back at her. "Don't hide." She ran her thumb across her cheeks, one at a time, wiping them away, a sad smile on her lips. "He's  _proud_ , Leona. He couldn't be prouder."

Leona nodded her head, smiling despite her tears. "Thank you, I needed that."

Diana laid her head against the taller woman's shoulder. "It's the least I can do."

So, closer than they'd ever been, all truths laid bare, all cards played, they made their way to what they hoped would be their final battle; the Solari Temple, against Eos himself.

After all, they had more than just one score to settle with him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! How are you all doing? I'm good, bringing y'all a freshly made update.
> 
> This story is reaching its' conclusion, with the next update being probably its' end. I might add an epilogue after it, but I make no promises :)
> 
> About the Riven/Diana kiss; It was never explicitly written, but I did imply there was a chemistry between them. I wanted to play with that concept and the already laid clues, the fertile ground.
> 
> Anyway!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this as much as I do every time. Hope to hear your thoughts!


	44. Chapter 44

The doors to the Temple opened urgently at the mere sight of her.

She made her way through the halls decisively, every step she took making the Earth tremble under her feet, thunder echoing as she moved, the sound of men and women following her every step making her presence impossible to ignore. The shackles of her enemies, chained to their imminent destiny, chimed like the bells any town would toll before sending prisoners to the gallows.

And then, the most treasured spoil of war.

The Scorn of the Moon.

Leona walked with a deadly glare on her eyes, the Crescent Blade that had struck her down so many times in one of her hands, while the other grabbed the Scorn of the Moon by the neck and dragged her throughout the halls both of them knew so very well, her enemy's head on a bag, her hands bound to her feet, keeping her from even dreaming of doing something stupid.

Nobody dared question her as she silently walked, her boots against the ground being the only sound she made, the Lunari at her hand not collaborating as she didn't walk, forcing Leona to pull her along.

Her troops, just like her, did not make a sound, except for the one of their footsteps, their prisoners only adding the constant chiming of their iron binding.

Nobody talked. The Solari that saw them arrive wondered if they were even breathing.

The guards stationed at the Main Hall's doors scattered to open them and let their Leader through.

Leona's eyes landed on Eos as he stood up from his throne-like seat, confusion and shock at the sight being evident in his expression, his body language.

"Radiant Dawn?" He questioned as he watched her stop a few steps away from him, in the middle of the room, her troops behind her, people dressed in red being surrounded by them. "What's the meaning of this."

Leona smiled at him and bowed her head. "Morning blessings, my Elder." She looked at him with a warrior's triumph in her eye, "I must apologize for my secret departure and my unannounced arrival, but I had matters to take care of and, as you can see," She pushed the Scorn of the Moon forwards, making her land on her head on the ground, a quiet grunt escaping her. "I handled them just fine."

Eos couldn't believe his eyes. "You brought the Scorn of the Moon here?"

"I  _captured_ her." Leona said, displaying the Lunari's weapon of choice to all of those present in the room before throwing it right next to the woman's bagged head, "And brought her back to execute her." She smiled at the man before saying, "In front of you."

Eos had trouble catching up with the facts Leona was telling him, narrowing his eyes as he shook his head, trying to clear his mind. "Radiant Dawn, I will need you to explain—"

"My departure, surely." Leona finished for him as she paced around, carefully dodging the fallen woman. "You see, after my last failure, I finally hit rock bottom, my Elder. I had never felt rage like that before, watching my men and women die at the hands of this Nightly Creature." Leona said, narrowing her eyes as she thought of how she had felt. "I realized I had had enough of that and decided to go on my own, hunting her down, so that nobody would suffer the consequences of my failures, anymore." She stopped pacing, "If I had to die, then so be it." Looking at Eos with pride in her eyes, she continued. "But I didn't die and I'm proud to say that, after finding her, through lies and deceit, I managed to make her trust me, even take me to her Temple, to her people." She gestured at the Lunari that were kneeling right behind her, their heads low. "It was a miracle that you sent troops looking for me, because it was with their help that I managed to make them all yield, surrender to our will, become our prisoners." She moved towards the fallen Lunari and put her foot on her head, putting enough weight on it that her head was pressed between the ground and Leona's boot. "Diana included."

Eos' eyes scanned the crowd of Solari that had entered the Temple behind Leona. "Conflicting information came from soldiers I do not see amongst your ranks at the moment, my Chosen." He commented, silently wondering where she got that peculiar armor from, the good looking shield, strapped to her back, the deadly sharp sword, sheathed to her side.

"Just like in every war, my Elder, sacrifices had to be made; soldiers had to die." Leona said, her foot still on the Scorn's head, her hands held together behind her back. "I couldn't have Diana seeing me interact with them in any friendly way if I was to keep up my act: I had to send them away, make them believe that I was not who I am.  _That's_ how I earned her trust. Once these soldiers made it back to me with reinforcements, they died in a battle fought against Noxians and Lunari."

Eos didn't know that. "Noxians? In Ionia?"

Leona nodded. "They invaded at the sight of Demacian troops marching towards lands they want for themselves."

 _That_ was something else to address. "No Demacian messenger came to tell us about your victory, Radiant Dawn."

"We left Ionia way before Demacia did, right after kicking out Noxus and defeating the Scorn of the Moon's people." Leona quickly shot back, "They could be on their way here, but the trip is long and we were ahead."

It was only then that Eos remembered someone else, someone whose face he did not see anywhere. "Where's Armin?" He asked, true worry evident in his voice.

Leona looked crestfallen. She did not answer.

" _Leona,"_ He called her name, desperation in his voice. " _Where_ is he?"

Leona inhaled deeply, before letting the air out in a long sigh. "He did not make it, My Elder." She said, closing her eyes. "I'm truly sorry."

Eos' hands began to shake with his anger, with his devastation upon hearing that the boy who was a son to him was gone. "Who did it?" He asked, begging for the answer, "Did his murderer die at your hands, Radiant Dawn?"

"She didn't yet, my Elder." Leona responded, something dark and evil taking over her voice as she moved her boot against the Scorn of the Moon's covered head, pretty much toying with it, sending a message to Eos. "But I do plan on serving her the justice she deserves."

Eos got the message.

It had been Diana.

"The Heretic must  _die."_

* * *

"Remind me again, how did you know about this secret passage?"

"It's not a passage, it's a  _sewer_." Diana commented, doing her best to avoid the dirty waters, "And I've had my fair share of  _jailbreaks_ before."

"It's a wonder how you're still alive." Althea responded amusedly.

Diana chuckled. "It is."

Althea stared unashamedly at Diana's body. "I must admit, no matter how long it's been, you still look  _good."_ She bit her lip, "The Noxian's clothing makes you look even better."

Diana blushed, suddenly feeling how short the robes were, how little the armor covered. "Shut up." She commanded, "We're already close to the dungeons."

"Do you think they're falling for it?" Althea asked her in a quiet whisper, despite Diana's request for silence.

"Probably. If not, we would be able to hear it. This place is echoey."

Diana and Althea had split from the rest of the group moments before arriving at the Temple, looking for the sewer system of the building, its' mouth into the world being the only other way in, luckily connecting to the dungeons, amongst other different spots in the Temple.

Knowing she could use the tunneling not only to rescue the Elders but search for Helena, she had announced Leona she'd go, but not before being stopped by the Sun's Aspect, being ordered to exchange her clothing and weaponry with Riven, then being asked to choose someone to serve as her back up.

Leona's plan was actually smart; to have Riven pose as her, her white hair being good enough to make her pass as the Chosen of the Moon, as long as no one saw her face.

Without questioning Leona, she had quickly chosen Althea as her partner, fully aware of the woman's medical knowledge, hoping it wouldn't be necessary, but conscious of how handy it could be if needed.

Away from everyone's eyes, Riven and her had switched positions.

She snickered at the memory of Riven's face when they had finally finished dressing up as the other, the awkward discomfort upon seeing Diana wearing her stuff, the feeling of not being herself at the sight of the silver haired woman's armor on her body, the uncanniness of how, despite Riven's body being slightly more built, the armor still fit like a glove.

 _Ancient magic trickery,_ the Noxian had declared.

They heard the gruff, low voices of the guards and both women fell silent. The situation they were in was delicate; They did not want to fight, but at the same time, they couldn't afford being detected, because them being detected meant the whole façade going to Hell, the hostages having a high possibility of dying in the process.

So, knowing Althea was looking at her, waiting to see the course of action she was planning on taking, Diana unsheathed her blade —Riven's blade —, watching the Ra-Horak as the woman did the same.

They climbed a small ladder, pushing a trapdoor to a side, entering the dungeons from the sewers as quietly as a mouse.

Only two guards visible, one standing right next to the other, both staring into a cell that seemed to be to the women's left. Clearly, Eos thought nobody could get into the dungeons.

He thought wrong.

They slowly moved, sneaking up to them; Helena to the one further from them, Diana to the one closer.

"I feel sorry for the lass." Diana's commented. "She's suffering only because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Diana frowned, gesturing for Althea not to attack yet, hoping to hear more. Still, they approached ever so slowly.

"Sorry? She should be  _dead._ This is mercy." The other one said.

"Can you shut the Hell up?"

Diana almost froze. She knew that voice.

The guard who had spoken first approached the cell and punched the old woman. " _You_ shut up. Do not talk to a true Solari like that, Heretic."

The one with the bad attitude approached the bars too and spit on her. "Poor attempt at a human."

Diana was already on the back of hers, Althea with the other.

And then Diana, who had been ignoring Sekhet and Akins in the cell that was now right in front of her for the mission's sake, laid her eyes upon a fallen figure on the cell right next to it, dead eyes accidentally looking into her own, same shade of gray as her own in a way, but a different kind all the same.

" _Helena?"_

The guards turned around.

Althea did not waste time as she stood up in one powerful move and killed the one right in front of her.

Diana wasn't as quick.

Her guard alarmed a third one that was at the end of the dungeons' hall, right next to the door that lead to the Main hall.

Since Althea was closer, she ran towards him, not allowing him to get out, to inform the others.

But Diana's opponent took advantage of her distraction and pulled her up by her hair, ready to kill her with a stab to the neck.

Seeing the vicious glare of the blade under the candlelight made her snap out of it and she quickly headbutted the man, making him fall backwards against the cell.

She heard a body fall to the ground and saw Althea coming closer to her out of the corner of her eye.

And then she saw the guard try to lunge for her.

 _Try,_ because arms had snaked around his shoulders, keeping him in place.

Diana didn't waste time as she stabbed him with the broken sword, watching him fall to the ground, lifeless.

And she stared at him.

She stared at him, because if she dared look to her right—

"Diana?"

She slowly looked up.

Sekhet was looking at her as if she had just seen a ghost.

"Mistress?"

"Who has the keys?" Althea asked them, making Diana snap out of it, looking at the Ra-Horak, currently hanging from the bars that separated her from the fallen Helena.

Her eyes open, the pupils  _gray—_

"The one at the door!" Akins chimed in, coming close to the bars, too.

So, as Althea ran towards him, Diana's eyes couldn't help themselves as they swayed towards the fallen Helena.

Her lip started quivering.

Althea returned quickly with the keys, freeing the Elders first.

Akins bowed in gratitude, while Sekhet moved closer to Diana, aching to touch her, to feel that she was real, that she was there.

But Diana wasn't responding.

She was staring at those lifeless eyes.

Althea opened Helena's cell.

Then Diana was moving, pushing everyone aside, walking in first, landing on her knees.

"Lena?" She quietly called, sounding as small as a child as she cradled the woman's head searching for any sign that she was still alive.

There were none.

Sound alike battle could be heard coming from the surface. Althea questioned it, claiming it sounded like a  _duel._

Diana paid it no mind.

"Lena?" She tried again, this time her voice shaking, her heart falling to the pit of her stomach, tears making the back of her eyes burn.

No response.

She closed her eyes, letting the salty water fall from them.

Nobody dared move, nobody dared say anything. They all just stared, hopeless: The Elders fearing the worst. The Ra-Horak trying to come up with rational excuses why the Solari Scholar was not responding.

Diana let out a quiet sob as she slowly leaned forwards, laying her head on Helena's chest.

She cried, silently damning herself for taking so long, silently praying for the Sun and the Moon to bring her back, even if she knew they couldn't.

But at some point in her whimpering she fell quieter and a faint sound reached her ears.

A thumping sound, like the heartbeat of that one who was staring at Death, but fighting for their life, running away from it.

Diana raised her head, looking into those eyes, "Lena?" She questioned, getting closer to her.

Being in such proximity, she realized that despite it being painfully slow and shallow, Helena was still breathing.

"She's alive." She said urgently to Althea, watching as the soldier quickly rushed in, falling to her knees on Helena's other side.

With a medic's coldness, Althea pressed two of her fingers to Helena's pulse point, checking her heartbeat. "Her pulse is quickened." She commented, before inspecting her breathing, "Her breathing is very slow, very forced, too." She added, then looked into her eyes, rapidly analyzing them.

She shook her head. "Her eyes are all kinds of fucked up."

"Eos burned them with hot gold."

Diana turned her head so fast that she almost gave herself whiplash. " _What?"_

"A few weeks ago, he threw her into the dungeon and changed the torture method he used with her." Sekhet offered, placing her hand on Diana's shoulder. "He switched from drugging her to her eyelids to burning her so that she'd be blind. I do think he drugged her again, though."

Althea nodded. "She has signs of overdosing on opioids. She's awake, but not conscious. It could be fatal, but she might save herself." She explained, finally reaching a conclusion.

"Why did he do that to  _her?"_ Diana questioned, knowing the man and what he was capable of, but unable to see  _why,_ of all people, Helena.

"I wish I knew, my dear." Sekhet said. "I never heard him say it, he's too clever to reveal information in front of us, but all I can tell you is that he's been doing this to her ever since you left."

And then it clicked on the Ra-Horak.

"It's my fault."

Diana looked at Althea. "What?"

The girl suddenly looked paler than before, regret in her eyes. "The day you left the Solari, when you were facing the Elders, Helena asked me to help her get into the Main Hall." She said, watching as Diana murmured a quiet  _Oh, no._ "I couldn't say no to her, I thought it would make no harm for her to be there."

Diana looked at Helena, fighting for her life. "She saw things she shouldn't have seen and she paid for such a crime." She said, reasoning how Eos would.

The medic's hands were shaking. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault."

Althea looked up at the sound of Diana's voice, suddenly strong.

Like a Leader's.

Despite the tear tracks on her cheeks, Diana looked determined, calm, even. "The man who's to blame is out there, swallowing every minute of Leona's circus. Do not beat yourself up over something you could have never even imagined."

" _Leona's circus?"_

"Yeah," Diana said as she stood up, turning to look at Sekhet, "She has a whole show mounted up there, to buy us time while we rescue you."

Sekhet looked like she could cry, a wavering smile on her lips. "Oh,  _Diana."_ She embraced her former student, strength being found in her arms despite how thin they were. As Diana hugged her back gently, Sekhet pulled away to look at her. "I'm so sorry for that day," Sekhet apologised, gently touching the scar on Diana's forehead. "I've regretted it every day, not standing up more powerfully for you."

"We all make mistakes. It's in us whether we learn from them or not, Mistress." She chuckled at the look of awe in those black eyes, "Just like Althea, you're not to blame. Eos is the bearer of a power much more dangerous than we think."

"If I may ask, Scholar," Akins chimed in once more, looking at her not with fear, but intrigue. "I believe there's a lot we've yet to learn from these mistakes, yes?"

Diana looked at him, "There's a lot to be learned, alright. A lot of  _lies,_ a lot of  _secrets,_ but we don't have enough time to talk about all of that right now; we need to get to the Main Hall."

"Should I escort them through the sewers?" Althea asked her, making her turn to look at her, the silver haired woman dropping to her knees, quickly planting a kiss on Helena's forehead.

"No, they must come with me to the Hall, I think their presence will be of value." She looked at Althea, then. "You're to take care of Lena. I'll be back as soon as it's all over."

Althea nodded her head once. "She'll be okay."

"I know she will. She's strong."

_Stronger than I could even dream of being._

So Diana stood up, slowly making her way to the door that lead to the Main Hall.

"Diana?"

She turned to look at Sekhet, at Akins.

Akins looked far more nervous than the old woman. "Are you  _really_ telling us we need to go out there, to  _Leona's circus,_ as you called it?"

Diana smirked at him. "You've always been the most curious of Elders, always seeking knowledge, always seeking truth. Don't you want to find out what's going on, how things really are?"

"Yes but I don't want to die, Acolyte."

Diana couldn't help the laugh that escaped her at the scared tone. "You won't be in danger as long as you stay close to me." She offered, that mysterious air of hers surrounding her, like the promises of subtlety and secrecy the night usually makes, "Let's go."

So, turning around once more, sheathing Riven's blade to her side, Diana quietly made her way, Sekhet and Akins following closely.

* * *

_The Heretic must die._

Leona smirked at the man. "I agree, my Elder. the Heretic must die." She said as she walked towards him, the  _Scorn of the Moon_ some steps to her side and behind her, on the ground.

She unstrapped the shield from her back and let it fall to the ground before unsheathing her blade and moving towards the one dressed as the Chosen of the Moon.

She took her rightful place to the fallen woman's side and grabbed her by the neck, making her kneel, her head still covered by that tight bag. Leona placed her blade's edge to her neck, as if getting ready to strike.

"Your Goddess has abandoned you, miscreant." Leona said loudly. " _This_ is your new God, now."

She brought her sword back.

Eos saw it suddenly start towards Diana, fast.

But before it could behead the Lunari, she rolled forwards, successfully ducking before the impact.

They didn't know when she released herself from her chains, but they knew she had done so, for the Lunari was now standing, her Crescent blade in hand.

As she moved towards Leona, she took that bag off her head, throwing it on the Chosen's face, using the distraction to strike.

Leona felt a knee to her stomach and moved to a side before the Scorn could do any more harm. Her eyes landed on Eos, how he opened his mouth to command they killed the white haired woman, " _She's mine!"_ Leona roared, managing to make him stand down.

And she fought the warrior who stood against her.

The warrior with  _paint_ on her forehead, instead of a scar.

The warrior with short white hair, instead of long silver.

They were thankful for the Empyreans that stood surrounding them, for it made it harder for the Solari troops to see Riven's face, recognizing it was not Diana.

Leona carefully met each swing Riven took at her, deflecting the blows and barely hitting back, the experienced warrior being good at keeping her occupied with protecting herself, not even giving her the chance to attack, to strike back.

It would serve as a convincing fight.

It would also serve the purpose of not letting Leona move to Eos' side, for it would mean Riven's face would be to him, their little show being brought to an abrupt stop if he ever realized he was being fooled.

Blow after blow, strike after strike, Eos saw the Scorn of the Moon viciously advancing over the Chosen of the Sun.

But then the white haired warrior brought the Crescent Blade towards Leona's neck, as if trying to behead her in one insanely fast slash.

Leona saw it coming and ducked right on time, before striking the khopesh with her own blade, sending it flying away from them, then lunging for her.

As the warrior came in contact with her, tackling her, Riven used the momentum of her fall to roll backwards over her shoulder, taking Leona with her, lifting her with the strength of her legs and landing on top of her, straddling her, while Leona was trapped between the white haired woman and the ground.

Everything had been so quick that Eos didn't see Riven's face, because once they landed, her back was to him, again.

Quickly, Riven stole Leona's blade.

Eos saw as the Scorn of the Moon, Zenith blade in hand, raised the sword up, its' tip aimed at Leona.

She brought it down in one deadly quick motion.

Everyone fell silent as the sword landed on its' mark.

Right next to Leona's neck, the Radiant Dawn unscathed.

They remained like that, breathing heavy, recovering themselves, gathering their breaths for a minute.

"You fought well."

Then Riven stood up and offered Leona her hand.

"But I fought better."

Leona took it. "You get me with that trick  _every_ time we fight."

She brought her up with one quick pull of her arm, "Then you should start thinking on how to avoid it or, even better, use it against me."

Whether it was the voice or the heavy accent, Eos did not recognize the Scorn's sound as her own, "What's the meaning of this?" He finally asked amidst a frown.

Riven looked at him, snorting at the look on his face when he saw hers. She threw the sword in the air, catching it by its' blade and giving its' grip to Leona, who took it and sheathed it. "We were just sparring a bit, nothing too serious, though." She licked her fingers before rubbing them hard against her forehead, wiping the Lunari symbol from her face.

Eos looked from Riven's face to Leona's, then to Riven's, then  _back_ to Leona's. "Where's Diana?"

Leona raised a brow. "Who?"

"The  _Scorn of the Moon?"_

Leona tried not to laugh at his angered tone, but had a hard time doing so as she exaggeratedly inspected Riven's face. "Well, you're right! This one looks nothing like Diana." She looked at him, a painfully badly hidden smirk on her face, "Beats me how that little detail managed to slip past me."

" _Radiant Dawn,"_  Eos began.

"Yes?" Leona responded, despite it not being necessary, her little comment making Eos angrier by the second.

Eos had had enough of her antics and he spoke without thought, "You'd better have a good explanation for whatever's going on right now or—"

"Or  _what?"_

He froze at the tone she had used, how the mirth that had been all over her face vanished in just the blink of an eye.

Leona did not relent. "What could, what  _would_ happen to me, my Elder?" She questioned, her eyes never wavering from his. "Would you write me off as a traitor, a heretic of sorts? Put me on a blacklist and demand my head?" She took a step towards him. "Or would you forgive my sins and ignore them, shrug them off?"

She saw him subtly take a step backwards. "I am not amused by whatever joke you're pulling on us, Leona."

"Oh it's a  _joke_  to you, I see." She bared her teeth. "It's not a joke unless it's funny, my Elder. I'm not making a joke."

"Then what the  _Hell_ is the meaning of this—"

"I think you'd punish me." Leona mused out loud, going back to the first question she had made. "Surely, for wasting your time with our little display of swordplay skill."

Eos didn't really know where she was going with it, but he didn't like it nonetheless. "My Chosen, I would never—"

"Punish me?" Leona said, her eyes glued to him. "Even if I committed a sin?"

"I don't think you'd be able to sin—"

"But what if I  _did?_ What if I  _could_  be guilty of heresy?" Leona asked him.

Eos shook his head, "I couldn't, I don't know—"

"You  _couldn't_ know?"

"Why do you need to know?!" Eos finally screamed in answer, sick and tired of Leona's constant questioning.

Leona had him where she wanted.

She relaxed a bit, an easy smile on her lips. "Because I need to know what kind of punishment could come for those in the highest ranks amongst us."

"Did you commit heresy, my Chosen?"

Leona decided not to answer such a question.

_Not yet, at least._

"Could I be punished for it?"

A deafening silence took over the room.

Eos did not respond.

Leona did not relent. " _Answer_  me, my Elder."

"I don't think  _you_ could be a heretic, my Chosen, and I don't know what we should do in case  _you_ , of all people, renounced the Sun, but if you were to sin, you'd have to be punished for it. No one's above it."

Leona's smile slowly grew. "Because no one's above the Sun, above their condition of humans who follow our Goddess, not even me." She lolled her head to a side. "Right?"

Eos did  _not_ like it. "Right."

"Then that would mean  _everyone_  under this roof could be punished," Leona said, raising her voice as she spoke. "Me, this impostor," She pointed at Riven, then stopped walking. "Even you."

"Yes, my Chosen." Eos replied. "In case a sin has been committed."

Leona looked at him, "Then I accuse  _you_ , Eos." She said, staring into his eyes as confusion and  _fear_  swirled in them, "I accuse you of the worst of crimes."

Whispers began all around them.

Eos snapped out of his shock with a laugh. "Accuse  _me_  of what, exactly, my Chosen?" He asked, "I haven't been praying to any false light as of lately, we all know that."

"You have lied to us all and kept information from us. That's the worst thing you could do."

Eos got defensive. "Renouncing the Sun and following the Moon is the worst thing anyone could do, my Chosen." He glared at Riven. "Even pretending to be the one who the Moon Chose is just as bad."

Riven shrugged. "Can't judge me by the Solari rules if I'm not a Solari." She said, uncaring for her accent, for this man, for everything.

"Then what are you, Noxian?"

Riven smiled. "An Empyrean."

Except for those behind Leona, no one knew what an Empyrean was.

Silence.

Eos looked uncomfortable.

"And what  _is_ an Empyrean?" He asked her, using a teasing tone, as if making fun of her.

But he did not laugh when Leona began speaking. "An Empyrean is that who veneers both the Sun and the Moon equally, for they are the keepers of balance, the ultimate force of life and death." She puffed her chest out, pride evident in her words, "The Chosen of the Sun and the Chosen of the Moon are the representatives of their deities and highest authorities."

Eos chuckled nervously. "Are you telling me  _you_ are an  _Empyrean_  too, my Chosen? The highest of them all, even?"

"Well, I can't be the  _highest,_ Diana is up there with me, too." She said, much to Eos' dismay.

Whispers started once more.

"So you did." He said. "You turned away from the light."

"I'd say I  _opened_ my eyes to it."

The murmurs grew louder.

Eos was seeing red. "You did what Diana had done—"

" _Diana_ had found out the truth and tried to tell you all about it and you didn't hear her. Even worse, you tried to  _silence_  her. Now you have  _me_ standing here, trying to do it one more time. Maybe you'll hear me."

"Which truth, Leona?" He asked rather aggressively, "What are you even talking about?"

"The truth of the Solari." She took a step closer to him and turned to address at  _all_ the remaining Solari. "The truth of how Solari and Lunari used to be one, joined under the name of the Empyreans until they got split due to your family's doing."

"My family's…" He started laughing. "Oh, Chosen, you've spent too much time around the Scorn, it seems. She has turned you into one of hers, believing her lies."

"You're right," Leona said, making him stop in his laughter. "I've spent enough time by her side that I cannot go back to being under that darkness of yours anymore, for you keep your family's legacy intact, protected by how, throughout the years, you and those before you have abused your influence, keeping the lies told so many years ago alive."

"Are you even listening to yourself, Leona?!"

"Are you afraid of hearing the truth, Eos?"

He had turned red on the face. "I will  _not_ hear another insolence coming from your mouth. Repent  _right_ now."

Leona raised a brow. "Or what?"

"Or there  _will_ be consequences."

Leona smiled.

Eos was  _fuming._

And people were murmuring.

"I cannot repent for a sin I haven't committed." Leona simply stated. "Do not accuse me of crimes which are not of my doing."

"And then why would you accuse me of nonsense my  _ancestors_ did? Nonsense you can't even confirm has even happened? I cannot be judged for a sin I haven't committed, either." Eos said, using her logic against her.

She heard the murmurs and decided to acknowledge them.

"I did not renounce the Sun. I still follow her and make her will be heard on our lands. I  _did_ finally see the Moon, though." She said, making everyone comment on it. Making her voice louder, she continued. "I've met the Moon, I've gotten to know her and both her and the Sun have shared secrets from long ago with me." She smirked. "They shared their knowledge, their past and our mission in life with me and the other side of my existence, my counterpart that evens me out.  _Diana."_ She ignored his angered face. "I found out the truth so I renounce the Solari and join my ally, my  _friend_  in the religion we were both destined to bring back, to revive and lead."

_**Friend. Alright.** _

_Baby steps, my Goddess._

She could see the murder in Eos' eyes as he opened his mouth to speak. "Then if you're an  _Empyrean_  now, Leona, you cannot judge me by your rules." He let out between gritted teeth, remembering what Riven had said that sparked that mess, done with Leona's antics.

"You're right, my Elder. I cannot judge you based on simple accusations, let alone crimes others committed but you're wrong on your defense. I'm not declaring you a sinner under my religion's rules, I'm doing so under the Solari's." She smirked, "And I will not judge you on crimes that came before you. I will judge you on crimes  _you_  committed."

"Really?" Eos asked her, "What have I done?"

"You've murdered Commander Khait of the Ra-Horak, locked Elder Akins and Mistress Sekhet away and accused Diana of killing them all to clean your hands."

He had been discovered and he knew it, Leona could see it in his eyes.

Still, he refused to go down easily. "That's all lies, Leona."

"It's the truth."

"You're  _lying!_ You're lying to protect the Heretic!"

Leona shook her head. "I know the truth, Eos."

"You're just saying lies."

"I'm not and you know it."

"Oh, really?" He asked in a harsh mocking tone. "And do you have any proof of it? Or are these as stupidly bland accusations as the ones you did before?"

"I do have proof, actually." Leona stated matter-of-factly.

Eos laughed, being so deep in his act that he knew he had no way out of it; he had to gamble. "Don't make me laugh, now—"

"No, I actually do." Leona interrupted him. "My proof is standing right behind you, Eos."

He felt his heart stopping as he turned and caught the sight of Diana, Mistress Sekhet and Elder Akins flanking her, the secret door to the dungeon open, revealing the stairs that lead to it behind them.

"You did an excellent job hiding this door," Diana began, "But you didn't even try to secure the sewers."

He watched as Diana unsheathed a black, broken blade and threw it high in the air. Following it with his eyes, he saw the Noxian catch it, before throwing her the Crescent Blade, Diana dexterously catching it with one hand, letting out a tranquil  _Your blade is too uncomfortable,_ making the Noxian chuckle.

They were all  _friends._

He looked at Diana, then he caught a glimpse of her two companions.

Sekhet was murdering him with her eyes.

"You had said Diana killed them and here they are." Leona calmly said. "Malnourished, beaten to near death and reeking like actual corpses, but much alive. Escorted by the one woman you said wanted them dead."

Eos turned to look at her. Had Leona and the white haired impostor moved closer? "They were planning on betraying us!"

"Oh, so you  _do_  confirm that you lied to the Solari and accused Diana of crimes she did not commit?"

"I did not—"

"Even then, it would all be so odd," Leona continued. "You did not let them face trial and, knowing you, if they so wished to betray the Solari, then you would have had them executed."

"But I—"

"But  _you're_  lying, Eos." Leona stated. "It's all lies. Sekhet and Akins were the only ones who dared listen to Diana and spare her for the blasphemies and you disliked their mercy, locking them up so as to be free of their intervention." She grew heated, anger evident on her face. "You  _knew_  they'd do the right thing and you put them away so as to avoid it!"

"And not having enough with that," Diana added, making them look at her. "You tortured my best friend because she was the sole witness of the assassination of Commander Khait." Diana took a deep breath at his face of faux confusion. "Helena, the High Scholar. You made everyone believe she had gone mad due to me, while it was just you, drugging her up so as to torture her, making her delirious to keep her quiet."

"You did what, now?" Leona murmured.

Diana could see the violence, the aggression in her eyes.

"And you did it all just to aid your own desires. To keep yourself in power and everyone below you." Diana stated.

Eos was shaking his head, but the desperation of having been caught was clear like water in his eyes.

"Take it like a man, you monster." Sekhet commented. "They caught you red handed."

He was growing more desperate by the second.

"You would have gotten away with it, you just committed a minor mistake."

He looked at Diana, a sneer on his face. "Yes, I should have  _killed_ you."

Diana shook her head. "You should have killed Helena."

"Your own bloodlust, the pleasure you find in hurting others, sabotaged you." Leona added from behind him.

Eos was gritting his teeth, but in his desperation, he quickly thought of something. " _Guards!—"_

A hand on his mouth was keeping him quiet, "I've had enough of you and I just met you." Riven murmured, uncaring of the guards that were unsheathing their blades, unsure of whether to attack or not, but wary nonetheless.

She tried to hold the man as he thrashed around, trying to release himself from her.

As he moved, Diana caught sight of something shiny in his hand, the room's candle light making it glare underneath the flames.

A dagger.

"Riven—"

Eos managed to grip the dagger properly and tried to stab the woman behind him.

Riven quickly released him and moved backwards, grunting at the sting of the blade scratching her midsection, but managing to come out of it safe and sound.

Eos raised his knife, " _Guards!"_ He called, " _Kill them all!"_

The guards unsheathed their blades.

So did Leona.

Eos was mad with power.

" _Kill them all!"_

The guards moved towards the Ra-Horak, the Elders behind Diana, Diana and Leona themselves, even Riven.

" _Kill them—"_

Diana watched as Leona's Zenith blade suddenly came out of Eos' chest, the warrior having pushed it in from his back.

Right through his heart.

"They say that a strike through the heart is lethal for you,  _freaks."_ Leona said in a low, dark voice right against Eos' ear, Diana picking up on it, on the morbidly familiar words.

Diana moved closer to him, being face to face. "But just to make sure…"

Leona pulled her sword out of the gaping wound.

Diana grabbed Eos by his hair with one hand and, with the other, she gripped her khopesh tightly, her eyes not moving from his as she brought the blade against his neck.

"Good luck on the other side," She began to say as she moved the blade against his neck, cutting it open with a contrasting gentleness. "You're going to need it."

She released him as she finished, his neck cut open from one end to the other, his blood spraying her as he bled out, falling to the ground.

Dead.

Diana watched him for a few minutes, aware of how suddenly everyone in the room was frozen, staring at him, at her, at Leona.

She still couldn't stop staring at him.

_**You're not satisfied.** _

_Not really._

She sheathed her blade, Leona doing the same.

Diana kept looking at the dead man.

So Leona looked at the staring crowd.

"Can you feel it?" She asked them. "Can you feel the aggressiveness leaving your body? The rope that had been tied tight around your heart, loosening?"

Everyone looked at her, at each other, discomfort in their eyes.

They knew exactly what she was talking about.

"I've been used and abused as much as you. I've felt the same pain, I've felt the same release." Leona said as she began to pace around the room, closing her eyes as she sighed, "I've had the same rope around my heart, my neck, my wrists and ankles. Doing, saying, thinking, believing, even breathing and living the way I was told to," She looked at Diana, pain in her eyes. "Even if it didn't sit right with me, even if it felt wrong at heart and I wanted no part in it."

Leona moved, her eyes going from Diana to Eos, "My body was not my own, my decisions were not of my doing, being guided through my own life, my every move being dictated, what to believe in, what to do, what to say, who to love and who to hate." Her eyes caught sight of Diana and climbed up to meet her face once more, "No matter what, I'd always follow, like we were nothing but simple puppets, for the puppeteer to use as his own leisure. That was all we were: simple puppets with a role to play, so I know how it feels," She turned, looking at them, her eyes going from one to another, "The sudden lack of drive, of motivation, of mission to fulfill. I know it all, I lived through it."

She ran her eyes all over the room, watching as they all whispered, as they nodded their heads, as they sighed in relief.

She looked at the fallen man. "Eos was the owner of a power that allowed him to bend everyone to his will, make them do his command, believe what he told them. A power that has been in his family for ages, being passed on to the following generations, time after time." She moved towards Diana, her eyes on silver ones. "A power that he and his family have used to make us believe that we're enemies. To make us believe the Sun and the Moon are enemies."

She grabbed Diana's hands, looking at them. "I couldn't take the restlessness in my heart and I sought out the one that would never leave my mind." She looked up, finding Diana staring at her. "Once together, the Sun and the Moon showed us the truth: Solari and Lunari used to be one until one man, Eos' ancestor, made a deal with a sorceress in order to gain this power and destroy our people, just to aid his own, selfish desires."

"With this power at his command," Diana started, "This man persuaded people to rise against the Moon and he murdered her Chosen. With a broken heart, the Chosen of the Sun gathered her power and fought him, bringing his life to an end. What she couldn't do, though, was kill his child. She died no long after that, her people forever divided."

"The people who had been known as Empyreans, followers of the Sun and the Moon, seekers of balance, had been split in two; those who had been manipulated, who had believed that man's lies, shunned the Moon and called themselves Solari. Those who had ran away in a desperate attempt to survive, forced themselves to turn their backs on the Sun, choosing the name of Lunari." Leona explained. "But we have never been enemies. We have never been nothing but pawns in a game that we could not win, characters in a play with a tragic ending."

"Eos and his ancestors kept the lies alive because divided we're easier to control, to dominate. Divided, it was easier for him to remain in power." Diana said, looking down at him, a few steps behind Leona, "Now that he's gone, his legacy ended, we're free from him."

Leona looked for her eyes, smiling at her as she found them. "He made us all believe the Sun and the Moon chase each other throughout the sky out of anger, out of a desire to fight, when the game of chase they play has a different motive behind it, one always making room in the sky for the other."

Diana smirked. "The desire to be together being stronger than their obstacles."

She tried not to laugh as she saw Leona mouth,  _I really want to kiss you right now._

"As of today, the Solari  _and_ the Lunari are disbanded and no longer exist." Leona said, looking at everyone around them, still holding Diana's hand tightly. "But you all have a choice. You can join us and become an Empyrean. Learn the truth, help us reforge what we once were, step by step, bit by bit."

"Or you could walk away." Diana added, "We will not force you to stand for something you do not believe in. A lack of faith is not a crime, not a sin, not some sort of heresy." her gaze softened as her hand gripped Leona's tighter. "You're all welcome, but that doesn't mean you'll be forced into it."

"No matter what you choose, it will be respected."

And silence took over once more.

"It's hard to make such a decision when your core beliefs are being shaken, brought to the ground." Mistress Sekhet's voice was powerful once more, a certain raw feeling to it that made her be heard. "But it's hard to ignore it when something deep inside you  _knows_ you're being told the truth. It's a feeling that's born inside the heart, like a hunch, and it shall not be ignored. I don't know about you all, but I'll follow my Chosens into the light. It's never too late to learn."

"The truth can be harsh." Elder Akins commented, "But it must always be respected, sought, protected." He looked at Leona, "If this is the Sun's will, then I'll follow." And then his eyes turned to Diana. "I'll learn what the Moon is willing to teach."

And everything had been said.

And everything had been done.

And suddenly it was over.

Slowly, they moved around the room.

Diana and Leona could see it in their eyes.

A few of them wanted out of it, desolation in their hearts, evident in their eyes.

Most of them were really thinking about it, considering it.

They moved around as they analyzed their options, as some of them apologized to Leona and left the room in peace, not without looking back at Diana with betrayal in their souls.

But it was done. It was over.

Minutes, hours.

Some left. Most stayed.

Then Diana heard it, quiet, faint, yet still there.

"Diana?"

She turned around at the sound of a voice she hadn't heard in years.

Helena was standing, being held up by Althea, but  _standing,_ there, searching for her.

With blind eyes.

Diana felt it like a blow to her gut, relief and sadness at the same time. "Helena," She whispered, releasing Leona and moving towards her friend.

She cradled her face, watching as the still groggy Helena flinched at the touch, yet leaned against it. "Helena," Diana let out once more in a quiet whisper, unaware of the tears in her eyes.

"Diana?" Helena asked once more, invaded by the same feeling that the Chosen of the Moon felt, letting go of Althea to place her hands on Diana's face, slowly feeling it.

"She woke up and begged me to let her see you," Althea explained. "She hadn't been drugged in a while, what we saw before being withdrawal after a long overdose. She's still weak, but she's slightly better."

"Shut up, doctor." Helena mumbled, "I can't even  _see_ my friend."

Althea turned red, "I didn't mean—"

" _Shut up."_ Helena said, turning her head towards her, "Idiot." She mumbled, then turned her head back to Diana as she heard her chuckle. "And what the Hell are you laughing at, donkey?"

"I'm just  _so glad_ to finally see you." Diana said, crying freely, hugging her.

But then Helena was pushing her away, "You're not allowed to do that." She said, anger in her voice. "You can't do that."

It felt like a stab to the chest. "Do what?"

"Leave for Gods know how long and then hug me like  _nothing happened!"_ Helena complained loudly, tears in her lifeless eyes. "You have no idea of what it felt like, having you gone and being…" She couldn't bring herself to say it. "Being—"

She quieted at the feeling of Diana's hands on her own, grabbing them and placing them on her face, letting her feel her tears.

Her scar.

"There was nothing I wanted more than knowing what had happened to you." Diana quietly told her. "My fear for your safety was so deep I kept it secret, even from the Night. I thought that, maybe, if I didn't speak of it, not even in my solitude, then it wouldn't be real."

Helena was glaring at her. "You thought  _wrong_ , stupid."

"I know I did, Lena." She bit her lip at how Helena shuddered at the sound of her nickname, "I know I did and I'm sorry." She touched her forehead against Helena's, "I'm sorry."

And she saw her struggling, she saw her thinking what to say next.

Then Diana added, "Out of the two of us, you were always the smart one."

And so Helena was crushing her in an embrace, hiding her face on her shoulder.

"I'm just so glad you're back."

And Gods, she was crying like a child.

Diana hugged her back as strongly. "I'm back, Lena. I'm back and I'm not going anywhere." She felt her heart breaking at how Helena sobbed, "I promise you that."

And despite what she felt, despite the tears and the sadness, the happiness, the anger, Helena chuckled. "I always knew you'd make it. I might want to punch you right now, but I've always known you'd win."

"You  _did_ say you'd never turn your back on me and that I was always welcome in your heart, no matter how badly we fell apart."

"And you  _did_ say you'd remember it." She pulled away, feeling Diana's face once more with her hands. "And I  _did_ mean it. I've always been loyal to  _you,_ gremlin. I've always rooted for you."

Diana hugged her again, as if trying to memorize how it felt, to hold her tight. "I'm so glad I'm with you again."

"And I'm glad you're alive and well, even if you're too stupid for your own good."

And Diana couldn't antagonize her like before, couldn't play their little game.

She could only laugh at her, at her words.

And Leona, standing a few feet away from them, watching them reunite after so long, couldn't bring herself to interrupt them, couldn't bring herself to steal Diana away from her best friend.

Because it was the end to the story, to the fighting, the battles, the lies and deception. The suffering and pain.

Because Diana was finally hers.

Because they were finally together.

Because they had all the time in the world, so what harm could it make, for her to let her be for a minute?

"Well," She heard Riven say as she patted her back. "How do you feel about it, Sun Queen?"

Leona looked at her with a raised brow. "How do I feel about what?"

Riven smiled. "About it all being over."

It was finally over.

_It's over._

Leona beamed at her.

"Free. I feel free, at last."

_It's over._

_Free._

She saw Diana look back at her, a smile on her lips, tears of joy in her eyes.

She smiled back.

_We're free._


	45. Chapter 45

Twilight had taken over the sky.

_Dusk, if we're specific._

Long, silver hair, free of any restraints, swayed with the Summer breeze that its' owner could feel from her balcony.

Diana sighed, feeling at ease, away from the Moon, away from the Sun.

Alone, for once.

It didn't last long, though.

She heard the door to her bedroom open and close gently, quiet footsteps slowly making their way towards her.

"Good training?" She asked without turning around.

Leona placed her shield and her sword to a side before joining Diana in the balcony. "Yeah, the best in a long time," She said, smiling out of genuine happiness. "I think we could have our first Rite of Kor pretty soon; a lot of them are ready for it."

The first Rite of Kor under the Empyrean rules; no bloodbath, no death. Only honor, a place in the Sun's guard, the Ra-Horak, to be earned.

Diana smiled back at her as she looked at Leona over her shoulder. "That sounds good. Is Bast going to take it?"

Leona nodded her head. "I thought he'd go for the Moon's guard, but I must admit I'm glad he chose the Ra-Horak instead. He's going to be a great warrior."

"We know he will."

"And how do you feel about tonight?" Leona asked her, slowly snaking her arms around Diana's waist, hugging her from behind. "Excited?"

"The first Bloodmoon Rite in forever." Diana mused out loud, "I don't know if I'm more excited or nervous, but I feel something along the lines of that. And," She grimaced, looking at Leona once more. "It's disgusting; you're all  _sweaty._ Did you really have to hug me?"

Leona chuckled, "You don't care and we both know it."

"Sure."

"I know I'm right."

"Whatever."

The Sun's Avatar kissed her.

Diana smiled.

"I knew Eyreen would chose the Bloodmoon. I could see it in her." Leona picked up the topic once more.

"She's too good with bows and she wields the khopesh like it's as easy as breathing."

"And here I was, thinking she'd choose the Sun Guard once more."

"You were trying to teach her how to fight like  _you._ Your fighting methods are good, but not good for assassins. She needs  _mine."_

"Don't get cocky, now."

Diana chuckled.

"How's Helena?"

The mirth went away, but her smile remained. "She's doing so much better."

"Still avoiding Althea's advances?"

Diana chuckled. "Still avoiding them, but that girl does not give up. I think Helena appreciates that."

Leona laughed. "Still tough, I see. I'm sad she's still blind too, though."

Diana had a bored expression on her face. "She'll be blind for a long time, Leo. A long time being forever."

"She doesn't have to." Leona responded, a thoughtful frown on her face. Upon seeing Diana's inquisitive look, she continued, "I think we might get her some special help in Ionia. Some Celestial, her name's Soraka. She's rumoured to be a magnificent healer."

"Good luck entering Ionia. Irelia will  _kill_ us."

"Well, she  _did_ invite Riven back and Riven hasn't taken up the offer yet."

"I think she's too comfortable training with both you and I."

"Do you think she'll stay with us, join one of our battalions?"

Diana shook her head. "She's getting ready to leave for Ionia. I know her too well. If she were to stay though, she'd fight for me." She looked at Leona over her shoulder, an apologetic look in her eye. "She might be a good warrior but she says she won't follow your orders. She's too proud for that."

Leona chuckled. "I can live with that." She placed another kiss on Diana's lips before resting her chin on the woman's shoulder. "With Riven leaving for Ionia, we could maybe ask her to get Helena some help."

Diana nodded. "Maybe, or maybe I could go there with her, help her with whatever she needs. After all she did for us, I think it's only fair."

Leona hummed in agreement. "I'd hate to have you gone, but it's true. And one of us would have to stay."

Diana nodded. "In the meantime, though, Helena is doing great. After a year being blind, I think she's already used to the lack of vision."

Leona raised her brows. "I'm both surprised and not at how she ended up being our High Priestess."

"Well, she was the one who helped me research the Empyreans. She was bound to be the highest Scholar we have."

"It's kind of funny, to see Sekhet and Akins learning from  _her,_ instead of it being the other way around."

Diana chuckled. "It really is."

They shared the quietness.

One year had gone by.

One year without Eos.

One year without Solari, without Lunari.

One year since the return of their people.

"I love you."

Leona moved, getting right in front of Diana, a smile on her lips as she said it back, "I love you."

Diana laid her forehead against Leona's, "Did you think this day would ever arrive?"

"This day?"

"The day we're together without hiding from anybody. Without constant fighting keeping us apart."

Leona chuckled, the sound low and rich, "I dreamt of it, but saw it as a fantasy, not a future." She hugged Diana, bringing her close, "I can't believe I'm living my dream."

"We still have a lot of work to do, though."

"Well, yeah, with Void creatures messing with us, Demacia and Noxus constantly going at it, Darkins all around and ghouls haunting anyone they find, we have our platters pretty full, but I wouldn't have it any other way, you know?"

Diana chuckled, "I know. At the end of the day, I always find you in my bed."

"And  _that's_ why I wouldn't change anything in my life."

"You're silly."

"And yours." Leona added.

Diana smiled.

"And mine," She echoed, her eyes closing as Leona pressed her lips against hers.

"And yours." She said once more, before kissing her once more, releasing her as she felt Diana trying to deepen the kiss, "Alright, go get ready for tonight."

The silver haired woman sighed, "Are you  _really_ kicking me out just  _now?_  We were just getting started."

"We have all the time in the world, my love. No need to rush."

And Diana smiled, going back to her for one last quick kiss, before picking up her red robe, getting ready for the night.

Because Leona was right; they had all the time they could even want.

And no matter what the world could throw at them, they would always find a way out of it.

Because Twilight fades and the Sun comes out.

Because Twilight fades and the Moon rises.

Because they chase each other out of love, not of hate.

Because Twilight  _always_ fades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we've made it to the end.
> 
> Thank you all for reading this, for taking the time to actually read and enjoy. I have no words for how grateful I am.
> 
> In regards to the third most protagonic champion in this story, aka not diana, not leona, but Riven...
> 
> I see you're all interested on seeing what would happen with her and I might write a small spin off with Riven's following story, even a small oneshot of what had happened that one night between Diana and Riven, but I can make no promises yet! Just stay tuned, for it might happen!
> 
> Anyway, anywho, anyhow. I hope you all enjoyed and I hope you all stick around for what I've got in store for y'all!
> 
> Much love.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! I'm the author of this lil' story, which I'm slowly importing from FF.net. I hope you all enjoy it and, if you do, please let me know with a little review or favorite! Much appreciated <3
> 
> If you want to, you can also find me on Tumblr! Username is mililap (yeah, super difficult, amirite?)
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading! Enjoy <3


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